The roll was called by the Clerk of the House of Representatives, who announced that a quorum was present.

Agee--excused

Alley--present

Anthony--present

Baade--absent

Baird--present

Bankes--present

Basham--present

Birkholz--present

Bobier--present

Bodem--present

Bogardus--present

Brackenridge--absent

Brater--excused

Brewer--present

Brown--present

Byl--present

Callahan--excused

Cassis--present

Cherry--present

Ciaramitaro--present

Crissman--present

Cropsey--present

Curtis--absent

Dalman--present

DeHart--present

DeVuyst--present

Dobb--present

Dobronski--excused

Emerson--present

Fitzgerald--present

Frank--present

Freeman--excused

Gagliardi--present

Galloway--absent

Geiger--present

Gernaat--present

Gilmer--present

Gire--present

Godchaux--present

Goschka--present

Green--absent

Griffin--absent

Gubow--present

Gustafson--present

Hale--present

Hammerstrom--present

Hanley--present

Harder--absent

Hertel--present

Horton--present

Jansen--present

Jelinek--present

Jellema--absent

Johnson--present

Kaza--present

Kelly--present

Kilpatrick--present

Kukuk--present

LaForge--present

Law--absent

Leland--present

LeTarte--present

Llewellyn--present

London--present

Lowe--present

Mans--present

Martinez--present

Mathieu--excused

McBryde--present

McManus--present

McNutt--present

Middaugh--present

Middleton--present

Nye--present

Olshove--present

Owen--present

Oxender--present

Palamara--present

Parks--present

Perricone--present

Price--present

Profit--present

Prusi--excused

Quarles--excused

Raczkowski--present

Rhead--present

Richner--present

Rison--excused

Rocca--present

Sanborn--excused

Schauer--present

Schermesser--excused

Schroer--present

Scott--present

Scranton--present

Sikkema--excused

Stallworth--excused

Tesanovich--excused

Thomas--present

Varga--absent

Vaughn--excused

Voorhees--present

Walberg--present

Wallace--absent

Wetters--present

Whyman--present

Willard--present

Wojno--present

e/d/s = entered during session

Daniel J. Loepp offered the following invocation:

"Lord, thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve. Thank you for giving these special six years, the experience for all of us was a run of a lifetime. Thank you for the relationships that we will never forget. Thank you for the memories that will last forever.

Lord bless those who are ending their legislative careers, please give them the ability to use what they have learned in whatever they do. God bless my friend, the majority floor leader, a person whose personality will have an impact on this institution for many years. Bless the House Republican Leader as he moves on to the Senate, and to his floor leader, who moves on in his career.

God bless the people that run this place, the partisan staffs, the clerks, the sergeants, the carpenters, the painters, the mailroom, the business office, and all the rest in this holiday season.

Bless my friend, my colleague, the Speaker of the House, as he ends an 18 year career of distinction. I hope you will help Curtis and his family as they move from this place. I know his dad is giving you good advice. Bless those who are about to assume power. The new Speaker, the new leader of the loyal opposition. May You give them the strength to do what they believe is right, just and fair. God bless the people I love for their support and strength which have made me the person I am.

So as this era ends, thank you for blessing me, and all of us, and giving us the opportunity to be a part of this marvelous institution. We pray in the Lord's Name. Amen."

______

Rep. Hammerstrom moved that Reps. Sanborn and Sikkema be excused from today's session.

In accordance with House Rule 10, I hereby designate Representative Michael Hanley, to be the Presiding Officer for all, or part of today's session.

Sincerely,

Curtis Hertel

Speaker of the House

Messages from the Governor

December 21, 1998

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Today I have vetoed and am returning to you herewith, Enrolled House Bill 4160.

I find HB 4160 to be overbroad in its application. The fact that the legislation has been given immediate effect means that any local official that would now be covered in this section could unwittingly be engaging in criminal activity and find himself or herself subject to fines and up to 90 days in jail.

For these reasons, I am returning Enrolled House Bill 4160 without signature.

Sincerely,

John Engler

Governor

The question being on the passage of the bill, the objections of the Governor to the contrary notwithstanding,

Rep. Gagliardi moved that consideration of the bill be postponed for the day.

The motion prevailed.

By unanimous consent the House returned to the order of

Motions and Resolutions

Rep. Profit offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 470.

A resolution to oppose the removal of the President of the United States from office.

Whereas, Over the past year, our country has endured the painful process of the investigation and accusations that haveculminated in the impeachment of President Clinton. With the nature of the matters involved as well as the formal actions of public bodies conducting their inquiries, many Americans feel far less faith in their governmental leadership; and

Whereas, Removal from office of the President of the United States is a matter of the utmost importance to our nation and its future. The standards of public service in this and all elective positions must be much more than avoidance of certain personal behavior. When considering the issue before the country, we must remember that there are remedies that already exist. At this critical point, the long-term best interests of the country must be paramount; and

Whereas, In recent years, there have been several instances in which the Congress of the United States has operated with seeming indifference to what the American people want. When Congress acts without heeding the wishes of the public, it runs the risk of becoming irrelevant, and it fosters a stronger sense of mistrust of our system of self-government and how we expect our elected leaders to handle public policy questions. With the decisions yet to be made with regard to President Clinton, Congressional leadership has the opportunity to regain relevance and help direct the country in a positive fashion; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we oppose the removal of the President of the United States from office. We support the members of the Michigan congressional delegation who voted against the various impeachment articles and urge the Congress to listen to the American people to act in a positive manner in the best long-term interests of our country; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.

The resolution was referred to the Committee on House Oversight and Ethics.

Reports of Select Committees

Joint Committee on Administrative Rules

Certificates of Approval

Date: December 9, 1998

Subject: Trans. No. 98-76

I hereby certify that the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules approved the administrative rules from the Department of Education, Proprietary School Unit pertaining to Proprietary Schools, dated August 6, 1998.

Date: December 9, 1998

Subject: Trans. No. 98-77

I hereby certify that the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules approved the administrative rules from the Department of Environmental Quality, Drinking Water and Radiological Protection Division pertaining to Supplying Water to the Public, dated July 31, 1998.

Date: December 9, 1998

Subject: Trans. No. 98-78

I hereby certify that the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules approved the administrative rules from the Department of Environmental Quality, Surface Water Quality Division, pertaining to Sewerage Systems, dated October28, 1998.

Date: December 9, 1998

Subject: Trans. No. 98-79

I hereby certify that the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules approved the administrative rules from the Department of Environmental Quality, Underground Storage Tank Division, pertaining to Underground Storage Tanks, dated August 31, 1998.

Date: December 9, 1998

Subject: Trans. No. 98-87

I hereby certify that the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules approved the administrative rules from the Department of Consumer and Industry Services, Director's Office, pertaining to Construction--Michigan Uniform Energy Code (Part 10), dated December 7, 1998.

Sincerely,

Senator Walter H. North

Chair

Joint Committee on Administrative Rules

December 9, 1998

Pursuant to the authority granted in subsection (3) of section 45 of the Administrative Procedures Act, being 24.245 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, the Committee by majority vote extended the time for consideration of Trans. No.98-80, submitted by the Department of Environmental Quality, Air Quality Division pertaining to Air Pollution Control.

December 9, 1998

Pursuant to the authority granted in subsection (3) of section 45 of the Administrative Procedures Act, being 24.245 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, the Committee by majority vote extended the time for consideration of Trans. No. 98-81, submitted by the Department of Consumer and Industry Services, Director's Office, pertaining to Construction Code--Plumbing Code (Part 7).

December 9, 1998

Pursuant to the authority granted in subsection (3) of section 45 of the Administrative Procedures Act, being 24.245 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, the Committee by majority vote extended the time for consideration of Trans. No.98-83, submitted by the Department of Consumer and Industry Services, Carnival/Amusement Safety Board pertaining to General Rules (Part 4. Participatory Rides--Go-Karts).

December 9, 1998

Pursuant to the authority granted in subsection (3) of section 45 of the Administrative Procedures Act, being 24.245 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, the Committee by majority vote extended the time for consideration of Trans. No. 98-84, submitted by the Department of Community Health pertaining to Health Legislation and Policy Development--Communicable and Related Diseases.

December 9, 1998

Pursuant to the authority granted in subsection (3) of section 45 of the Administrative Procedures Act, being 24.245 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, the Committee by majority vote extended the time for consideration of Trans. No. 98-86, submitted by the Department of Consumer and Industry Services, Director's Office pertaining to Marriage and Family Therapy.

Sincerely,

Senator Walter H. North

Chair

______

The Speaker called Acting Speaker Hanley to the Chair.

Messages from the Senate

House Bill No. 4425, entitled

A bill to make, supplement, and adjust appropriations for various state departments and agencies and the legislative branch for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1999; to provide for and direct the expenditure of certain appropriations; and to repeal acts and parts of acts.

The Senate has concurred in the House amendments to the Senate substitute (S-2).

The bill was referred to the Clerk for enrollment printing and presentation to the Governor.

House Bill No. 5365, entitled

A bill to amend 1996 PA 376, entitled "An act to create certain renaissance zones; to foster economic opportunities in this state; to facilitate economic development; to stimulate industrial, commercial, and residential improvements; to prevent physical and infrastructure deterioration of geographic areas in this state; to authorize expenditures; to provide exemptions and credits from certain taxes; to create certain obligations of this state and local governmental units; to require disclosure of certain transactions and gifts; to provide for appropriations; and to prescribe the powers and duties of certain state and local departments, agencies, and officials," by amending section 10 (MCL 125.2690), as amended by 1998 PA 239, and by adding section 8a.

The Senate has concurred in the House substitute (H-2) to the Senate substitute (S-3).

The bill was referred to the Clerk for enrollment printing and presentation to the Governor.

The Senate has passed the bill, ordered that it be given immediate effect and pursuant to Joint Rule 20, inserted the full title.

The House agreed to the full title.

The bill was referred to the Clerk for enrollment printing and presentation to the Governor.

Announcement by the Clerk of Printing and Enrollment

The Clerk announced that the following bills had been printed and placed upon the files of the members, Friday, December 11:

House Bill Nos. 6317 6318

The Clerk announced that the following bill and joint resolution had been printed and placed upon the files of the members, Tuesday, December 15:

House Bill No. 6319

House Joint Resolution KK

The Clerk announced the enrollment printing and presentation to the Governor on Tuesday, December 15, for his approval of the following bills:

Enrolled Senate Bill No. 152 at 3:44 p.m.

Enrolled Senate Bill No. 728 at 3:46 p.m.

Enrolled Senate Bill No. 752 at 3:48 p.m.

Enrolled Senate Bill No. 1086 at 3:50 p.m.

Enrolled Senate Bill No. 1087 at 3:52 p.m.

Enrolled Senate Bill No. 1088 at 3:54 p.m.

Enrolled Senate Bill No. 1148 at 3:56 p.m.

Enrolled Senate Bill No. 1170 at 3:58 p.m.

The Clerk announced the enrollment printing and presentation to the Governor on Wednesday, December 16, for his approval of the following bills:

Enrolled House Bill No. 4232 at 1:10 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 4139 at 1:12 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 4365 at 1:14 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 4681 at 1:16 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 4682 at 1:18 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 4683 at 1:20 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 4684 at 1:22 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 4685 at 1:24 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 4686 at 1:26 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 4742 at 1:28 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 4886 at 1:30 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 4895 at 1:32 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 4923 at 1:34 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5006 at 1:36 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5053 at 1:38 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5254 at 1:40 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5278 at 1:42 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5312 at 1:44 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5407 at 1:46 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5511 at 1:48 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5643 at 1:50 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5708 at 1:52 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5736 at 1:54 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5737 at 1:56 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5875 at 1:58 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5906 at 2:00 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5924 at 2:02 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5938 at 2:04 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 6007 at 2:06 p.m.

Enrolled Senate Bill No. 5 at 2:55 p.m.

Enrolled Senate Bill No. 184 at 2:57 p.m.

Enrolled Senate Bill No. 375 at 2:59 p.m.

Enrolled Senate Bill No. 378 at 3:01 p.m.

Enrolled Senate Bill No. 379 at 3:03 p.m.

Enrolled Senate Bill No. 380 at 3:05 p.m.

The Clerk announced the enrollment printing and presentation to the Governor on Friday, December 18, for his approval of the following bill:

Enrolled House Bill No. 6271 at 3:47 p.m.

The Clerk announced the enrollment printing and presentation to the Governor on Monday, December 21, for his approval of the following bills:

Enrolled House Bill No. 4343 at 1:18 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 4565 at 1:20 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 4738 at 1:22 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 4740 at 1:24 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 4789 at 1:26 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5000 at 1:28 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5127 at 1:30 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5137 at 1:32 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5366 at 1:34 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5564 at 1:36 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5613 at 1:38 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5717 at 1:40 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5792 at 1:42 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5967 at 1:44 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5968 at 1:46 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 6034 at 1:48 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 6045 at 1:50 p.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 6251 at 1:52 p.m.

Enrolled Senate Bill No. 479 at 1:10 p.m.

Enrolled Senate Bill No. 1007 at 1:12 p.m.

Enrolled Senate Bill No. 1096 at 1:14 p.m.

Enrolled Senate Bill No. 1283 at 1:16 p.m.

The Clerk announced the enrollment printing and presentation to the Governor on Tuesday, December 22, for his approval of the following bills:

Enrolled House Bill No. 4274 at 10:37 a.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 4296 at 10:39 a.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 4364 at 10:41 a.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5035 at 10:43 a.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5061 at 10:45 a.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5129 at 10:47 a.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5294 at 10:49 a.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5327 at 10:51 a.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5391 at 10:53 a.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5567 at 10:55 a.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5644 at 10:57 a.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5795 at 10:59 a.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5891 at 11:01 a.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 5987 at 11:03 a.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 6033 at 11:05 a.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 6175 at 11:07 a.m.

Enrolled House Bill No. 6208 at 11:09 a.m.

Messages from the Governor

The following messages from the Governor, approving and signing the following bills at the times designated below, were received and read:

Date: December 17, 1998

Time: 10:02 a.m.

To the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

Sir--I have this day approved and signed

Enrolled House Bill No. 5867 (Public Act No. 392, I.E.), being

An act to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled "An act to protect the environment and natural resources of the state; to codify, revise, consolidate, and classify laws relating to the environment and natural resources of the state; to regulate the discharge of certain substances into the environment; to regulate the use of certain lands, waters, and other natural resources of the state; to prescribe the powers and duties of certain state and local agencies and officials; to provide for certain charges, fees, and assessments; to provide certain appropriations; to prescribe penalties and provide remedies; to repeal certain parts of this act on a specific date; and to repeal certain acts and parts of acts," (MCL 324.101 to 324.90106) by adding section 61506c.

(Filed with the Secretary of State December 17, 1998, at 2:40 p.m.)

Date: December 17, 1998

Time: 10:06 a.m.

To the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

Sir--I have this day approved and signed

Enrolled House Bill No. 5835 (Public Act No. 394, I.E.), being

An act to amend 1962 PA 174, entitled "An act to enact the uniform commercial code, relating to certain commercial transactions in or regarding personal property and contracts and other documents concerning them, including sales, commercial paper, bank deposits and collections, letters of credit, bulk transfers, warehouse receipts, bills of lading, other documents of title, investment securities, leases, and secured transactions, including certain sales of accounts, chattel paper and contract rights; to provide for public notice to third parties in certain circumstances; to regulate procedure, evidence and damages in certain court actions involving such transactions, contracts or documents; to make uniform the law with respect thereto; to make an appropriation; to provide penalties; and to repeal certain acts and parts of acts," (MCL 440.1101 to 440.11102) by adding section 1211.

(Filed with the Secretary of State December 17, 1998, at 2:44 p.m.)

Date: December 17, 1998

Time: 10:08 a.m.

To the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

Sir--I have this day approved and signed

Enrolled House Bill No. 5800 (Public Act No. 395, I.E.), being

An act to amend 1962 PA 174, entitled "An act to enact the uniform commercial code, relating to certain commercial transactions in or regarding personal property and contracts and other documents concerning them, including sales, commercial paper, bank deposits and collections, letters of credit, bulk transfers, warehouse receipts, bills of lading, other documents of title, investment securities, leases, and secured transactions, including certain sales of accounts, chattel paper and contract rights; to provide for public notice to third parties in certain circumstances; to regulate procedure, evidence and damages in certain court actions involving such transactions, contracts or documents; to make uniform the law with respect thereto; to make an appropriation; to provide penalties; and to repeal certain acts and parts of acts," (MCL 440.1101 to 440.11102) by adding section 1210.

(Filed with the Secretary of State December 17, 1998, at 2:46 p.m.)

Date: December 17, 1998

Time: 10:10 a.m.

To the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

Sir--I have this day approved and signed

Enrolled House Bill No. 5754 (Public Act No. 396, I.E.), being

An act to amend 1949 PA 300, entitled "An act to provide for the registration, titling, sale, transfer, and regulation of certain vehicles operated upon the public highways of this state or any other place open to the general public or generally accessible to motor vehicles and distressed vehicles; to provide for the licensing of dealers; to provide for the examination, licensing, and control of operators and chauffeurs; to provide for the giving of proof of financial responsibility and security by owners and operators of vehicles; to provide for the imposition, levy, and collection of specific taxes on vehicles, and the levy and collection of sales and use taxes, license fees, and permit fees; to provide for the regulation and use of streets and highways; to create certain funds; to provide penalties and sanctions for a violation of this act; to provide for civil liability of owners and operators of vehicles and service of process on residents and nonresidents; to provide for the levy of certain assessments; to provide for the enforcement of this act; to provide for the creation of and to prescribe the powers and duties of certain state and local agencies; to repeal all other acts or parts of acts inconsistent with this act or contrary to this act; and to repeal certain parts of this act on a specific date," by amending section 802 (MCL 257.802), as amended by 1997 PA 80.

(Filed with the Secretary of State December 17, 1998, at 2:48 p.m.)

Date: December 17, 1998

Time: 10:12 a.m.

To the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

Sir--I have this day approved and signed

Enrolled House Bill No. 4611 (Public Act No. 397, I.E.), being

An act to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled "An act to protect the environment and natural resources of the state; to codify, revise, consolidate, and classify laws relating to the environment and natural resources of the state; to regulate the discharge of certain substances into the environment; to regulate the use of certain lands, waters, and other natural resources of the state; to prescribe the powers and duties of certain state and local agencies and officials; to provide for certain charges, fees, and assessments; to provide certain appropriations; to prescribe penalties and provide remedies; to repeal certain parts of this act on a specific date; and to repeal certain acts and parts of acts," by amending section 11510 (MCL 324.11510), as amended by 1996 PA 358.

(Filed with the Secretary of State December 17, 1998, at 2:50 p.m.)

Date: December 17, 1998

Time: 10:20 a.m.

To the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

Sir--I have this day approved and signed

Enrolled House Bill No. 6069 (Public Act No. 398, I.E.), being

An act to amend 1933 PA 167, entitled "An act to provide for the raising of additional public revenue by prescribing certain specific taxes, fees, and charges to be paid to the state for the privilege of engaging in certain business activities; to provide, incident to the enforcement thereof, for the issuance of licenses to engage in such occupations; to provide for the ascertainment, assessment and collection thereof; to appropriate the proceeds thereof; and to prescribe penalties for violations of the provisions of this act," by amending section 4a (MCL 205.54a), as amended by 1996 PA 435.

(Filed with the Secretary of State December 17, 1998, at 2:52 p.m.)

Date: December 17, 1998

Time: 10:22 a.m.

To the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

Sir--I have this day approved and signed

Enrolled House Bill No. 5851 (Public Act No. 399, I.E.), being

An act to designate highway M-6 in Kent and Ottawa counties as the Paul B. Henry freeway; and to prescribe the duties of the state transportation department.

(Filed with the Secretary of State December 17, 1998, at 2:54 p.m.)

Date: December 21, 1998

Time: 10:08 a.m.

To the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

Sir--I have this day approved and signed

Enrolled House Bill No. 4396 (Public Act No. 400, I.E.), being

An act to amend 1998 PA 58, entitled "An act to create a commission for the control of the alcoholic beverage traffic within this state, and to prescribe its powers, duties, and limitations; to provide for powers and duties for certain state departments and agencies; to impose certain taxes for certain purposes; to provide for the control of the alcoholic liquor traffic within this state and to provide for the power to establish state liquor stores; to provide for the care and treatment of alcoholics; to provide for the incorporation of farmer cooperative wineries and the granting of certain rights and privileges to those cooperatives; to provide for the licensing and taxation of activities regulated under this act and the disposition of the money received under this act; to prescribe liability for retail licensees under certain circumstances and to require security for that liability; to provide procedures, defenses, and remedies regarding violations of this act; to provide for the enforcement and to prescribe penalties for violations of this act; to provide for allocation of certain funds for certain purposes; to provide for the confiscation and disposition of property seized under this act; to provide referenda under certain circumstances; and to repeal acts and parts of acts," by amending section 513 (MCL 436.1513).

(Filed with the Secretary of State December 21, 1998, at 10:52 a.m.)

Date: December 18, 1998

Time: 2:44 p.m.

To the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

Sir--I have this day approved and signed

Enrolled House Bill No. 4779 (Public Act No. 401), being

An act to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled "An act to protect and promote the public health; to codify, revise, consolidate, classify, and add to the laws relating to public health; to provide for the prevention and control of diseases and disabilities; to provide for the classification, administration, regulation, financing, and maintenance of personal, environmental, and other health services and activities; to create or continue, and prescribe the powers and duties of, departments, boards, commissions, councils, committees, task forces, and other agencies; to prescribe the powers and duties of governmental entities and officials; to regulate occupations, facilities, and agencies affecting the public health; to regulate health maintenance organizations and certain third party administrators and insurers; to provide for the imposition of a regulatory fee; to promote the efficient and economical delivery of health care services, to provide for the appropriate utilization of health care facilities and services, and to provide for the closure of hospitals or consolidation of hospitals or services; to provide for the collection and use of data and information; to provide for the transfer of property; to provide certain immunity from liability; to regulate and prohibit the sale and offering for sale of drug paraphernalia under certain circumstances; to provide for the implementation of federal law; to provide for penalties and remedies; to provide for sanctions for violations of this act and local ordinances; to repeal certain acts and parts of acts; to repeal certain parts of this act; and to repeal certain parts of this act on specific dates," (MCL 333.1101 to 333.25211) by adding section 21053d.

(Filed with the Secretary of State December 21, 1998, at 10:54 a.m.)

Date: December 18, 1998

Time: 2:46 p.m.

To the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

Sir--I have this day approved and signed

Enrolled House Bill No. 4780 (Public Act No. 402), being

An act to amend 1956 PA 218, entitled "An act to revise, consolidate, and classify the laws relating to the insurance and surety business; to regulate the incorporation or formation of domestic insurance and surety companies and associations and the admission of foreign and alien companies and associations; to provide their rights, powers, and immunities and to prescribe the conditions on which companies and associations organized, existing, or authorized under this act may exercise their powers; to provide the rights, powers, and immunities and to prescribe the conditions on which other persons, firms, corporations, associations, risk retention groups, and purchasing groups engaged in an insurance or surety business may exercise their powers; to provide for the imposition of a privilege fee on domestic insurance companies and associations and the state accident fund; to provide for the imposition of a tax on the business of foreign and alien companies and associations; to provide for the imposition of a tax on risk retention groups and purchasing groups; to provide for the imposition of a tax on the business of surplus line agents; to provide for the imposition of regulatory fees on certain insurers; to modify tort liability arising out of certain accidents; to provide for limited actions with respect to that modified tort liability and to prescribe certain procedures for maintaining those actions; to require security for losses arising out of certain accidents; to provide for the continued availability and affordability of automobile insurance and homeowners insurance in this state and to facilitate the purchase of that insurance by all residents of this state at fair and reasonable rates; to provide for certain reporting with respect to insurance and with respect to certain claims against uninsured or self-insured persons; to prescribe duties for certain state departments and officers with respect to that reporting; to provide for certain assessments; to establish and continue certain state insurance funds; to modify and clarify the status, rights, powers, duties, and operations of the nonprofit malpractice insurance fund; to provide for the departmental supervision and regulation of the insurance and surety business within this state; to provide for the conservation, rehabilitation, or liquidation of unsound or insolvent insurers; to provide for the protection of policyholders, claimants, and creditors of unsound or insolvent insurers; to provide for associations of insurers to protect policyholders and claimants in the event of insurer insolvencies; to prescribe educational requirements for insurance agents and solicitors; to provide for the regulation of multiple employer welfare arrangements; to create an automobile theft prevention authority to reduce the number of automobile thefts in this state; to prescribe the powers and duties of the automobile theft prevention authority; to provide certain powers and duties upon certain officials, departments, and authorities of this state; to repeal certain acts and parts of acts; to repeal certain acts and parts of acts on specific dates; to repeal certain parts of this act on specific dates; and to provide penalties for the violation of this act," (MCL 500.100 to 500.8302) by adding section 3406m.

(Filed with the Secretary of State December 21, 1998, at 10:56 a.m.)

Date: December 18, 1998

Time: 10:35 a.m.

To the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

Sir--I have this day approved and signed

Enrolled House Bill No. 4875 (Public Act No. 403, I.E.), being

An act to amend 1986 PA 268, entitled "An act to create the legislative council; to prescribe its membership, powers, and duties; to create a legislative service bureau to provide staff services to the legislature and the council; to provide for operation of legislative parking facilities; to create funds; to provide for the expenditure of appropriated funds by legislative council agencies; to authorize the sale of access to certain computerized data bases; to establish fees; to create the Michigan commission on uniform state laws; to create a law revision commission; to create a senate fiscal agency and a house fiscal agency; to create a Michigan capitol committee; to create a commission on intergovernmental relations; to prescribe the powers and duties of certain state agencies and departments; to repeal certain acts and parts of acts; and to repeal certain parts of this act on specific dates," (MCL 4.1101 to 4.1901) by adding section 204e.

(Filed with the Secretary of State December 21, 1998, at 10:58 a.m.)

Date: December 18, 1998

Time: 10:39 a.m.

To the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

Sir--I have this day approved and signed

Enrolled House Bill No. 4884 (Public Act No. 404, I.E.), being

An act to amend 1986 PA 268, entitled "An act to create the legislative council; to prescribe its membership, powers, and duties; to create a legislative service bureau to provide staff services to the legislature and the council; to provide for operation of legislative parking facilities; to create funds; to provide for the expenditure of appropriated funds by legislative council agencies; to authorize the sale of access to certain computerized data bases; to establish fees; to create the Michigan commission on uniform state laws; to create a law revision commission; to create a senate fiscal agency and a house fiscal agency; to create a Michigan capitol committee; to create a commission on intergovernmental relations; to prescribe the powers and duties of certain state agencies and departments; to repeal certain acts and parts of acts; and to repeal certain parts of this act on specific dates," (MCL 4.1101 to 4.1901) by adding section 204b.

(Filed with the Secretary of State December 21, 1998, at 11:00 a.m.)

Date: December 18, 1998

Time: 2:50 p.m.

To the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

Sir--I have this day approved and signed

Enrolled House Bill No. 5057 (Public Act No. 405, I.E.), being

An act to amend 1931 PA 328, entitled "An act to revise, consolidate, codify and add to the statutes relating to crimes; to define crimes and prescribe the penalties therefor; to provide for restitution under certain circumstances; to provide for the competency of evidence at the trial of persons accused of crime; to provide immunity from prosecution for certain witnesses appearing at such trials; and to repeal certain acts and parts of acts inconsistent with or contravening any of the provisions of this act," by amending section 50 (MCL 750.50), as amended by 1996 PA 458.

(Filed with the Secretary of State December 21, 1998, at 11:02 a.m.)

Date: December 17, 1998

Time: 10:55 p.m.

To the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

Sir--I have this day approved and signed

Enrolled House Bill No. 5201 (Public Act No. 406), being

An act to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled "An act to provide a system of public instruction and elementary and secondary schools; to revise, consolidate, and clarify the laws relating to elementary and secondary education; to provide for the organization, regulation, and maintenance of schools, school districts, public school academies, and intermediate school districts; to prescribe rights, powers, duties, and privileges of schools, school districts, public school academies, and intermediate school districts; to provide for the regulation of school teachers and certain other school employees; to provide for school elections and to prescribe powers and duties with respect thereto; to provide for the levy and collection of taxes; to provide for the borrowing of money and issuance of bonds and other evidences of indebtedness; to establish a fund and provide for expenditures from that fund; to provide for and prescribe the powers and duties of certain state departments, the state board of education, and certain other boards and officials; to provide for licensure of boarding schools; to prescribe penalties; and to repeal acts and parts of acts," by amending section 853 (MCL 380.853), as amended by 1992 PA 263, and by adding section 14.

(Filed with the Secretary of State December 21, 1998, at 11:04 a.m.)

Date: December 18, 1998

Time: 3:05 p.m.

To the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

Sir--I have this day approved and signed

Enrolled House Bill No. 5271 (Public Act No. 407, I.E.), being

An act to amend 1927 PA 175, entitled "An act to revise, consolidate, and codify the laws relating to criminal procedure and to define the jurisdiction, powers, and duties of courts, judges, and other officers of the court under the provisions of this act; to provide laws relative to the rights of persons accused of criminal offenses and ordinance violations; to provide for the arrest of persons charged with or suspected of criminal offenses and ordinance violations; to provide for bail of persons arrested for or accused of criminal offenses and ordinance violations; to provide for the examination of persons accused of criminal offenses; to regulate the procedure relative to grand juries, indictments, informations, and proceedings before trial; to provide for trials of persons complained of or indicted for criminal offenses and ordinance violations and to provide for the procedure in those trials; to provide for judgments and sentences of persons convicted of criminal offenses and ordinance violations; to establish a sentencing commission and to prescribe its powers and duties; to provide for procedure relating to new trials and appeals in criminal and ordinance violation cases; to provide a uniform system of probation throughout this state and the appointment of probation officers; to prescribe the powers, duties, and compensation of probation officers; to provide penalties for the violation of the duties of probation officers; to provide for procedure governing proceedings to prevent crime and proceedings for the discovery of crime; to provide for fees of officers, witnesses, and others in criminal and ordinance violation cases; to set forth miscellaneous provisions as to criminal procedure in certain cases; to provide penalties for the violation of certain provisions of this act; and to repeal all acts and parts of acts inconsistent with or contravening any of the provisions of this act," by amending sections 2 and 3 of chapter X and sections 34, 43, and 44 of chapter XIV (MCL 770.2, 770.3, 774.34, 774.43, and 774.44), section 2 of chapter X as amended by 1981 PA 205, section 3 of chapter X as amended by 1994 PA 374, and sections 34, 43, and 44 of chapter XIV as amended by 1980 PA 506.

(Filed with the Secretary of State December 21, 1998, at 11:06 a.m.)

Date: December 21, 1998

Time: 10:00 a.m.

To the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

Sir--I have this day approved and signed

Enrolled House Bill No. 5400 (Public Act No. 408, I.E.), being

An act to amend 1995 PA 279, entitled "An act to license and regulate the conducting of horse race meetings in this state with pari-mutuel wagering on the results of horse races and persons involved in horse racing and pari-mutuel gaming activities at such race meetings; to create the office of racing commissioner; to prescribe the powers and duties of the racing commissioner; to prescribe certain powers and duties of the department of agriculture and the director of the department of agriculture; to provide for the promulgation of rules; to provide for the imposition of taxes and fees and the disposition of revenues; to impose certain taxes; to create funds; to legalize and permit the pari-mutuel method of wagering on the results of live and simulcast races at licensed race meetings in this state; to appropriate the funds derived from pari-mutuel wagering on the results of horse races at licensed race meetings in this state; to prescribe remedies and penalties; and to repeal acts and parts of acts," by amending sections 10, 14, 17, and 18 (MCL 431.310, 431.314, 431.317, and 431.318) and by adding section 19a.

(Filed with the Secretary of State December 21, 1998, at 11:08 a.m.)

Date: December 17, 1998

Time: 11:05 p.m.

To the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

Sir--I have this day approved and signed

Enrolled House Bill No. 5637 (Public Act No. 409, I.E.), being

An act to create the Michigan freedom trail commission; and to prescribe the powers and duties of certain state departments, agencies, commissions, and officers.

(Filed with the Secretary of State December 21, 1998, at 11:10 a.m.)

Date: December 18, 1998

Time: 3:00 p.m.

To the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

Sir--I have this day approved and signed

Enrolled House Bill No. 5692 (Public Act No. 410, I.E.), being

An act to amend 1956 PA 218, entitled "An act to revise, consolidate, and classify the laws relating to the insurance and surety business; to regulate the incorporation or formation of domestic insurance and surety companies and associations and the admission of foreign and alien companies and associations; to provide their rights, powers, and immunities and to prescribe the conditions on which companies and associations organized, existing, or authorized under this act may exercise their powers; to provide the rights, powers, and immunities and to prescribe the conditions on which other persons, firms, corporations, associations, risk retention groups, and purchasing groups engaged in an insurance or surety business may exercise their powers; to provide for the imposition of a privilege fee on domestic insurance companies and associations and the state accident fund; to provide for the imposition of a tax on the business of foreign and alien companies and associations; to provide for the imposition of a tax on risk retention groups and purchasing groups; to provide for the imposition of a tax on the business of surplus line agents; to provide for the imposition of regulatory fees on certain insurers; to modify tort liability arising out of certain accidents; to provide for limited actions with respect to that modified tort liability and to prescribe certain procedures for maintaining those actions; to require security for losses arising out of certain accidents; to provide for the continued availability and affordability of automobile insurance and homeowners insurance in this state and to facilitate the purchase of that insurance by all residents of this state at fair and reasonable rates; to provide for certain reporting with respect to insurance and with respect to certain claims against uninsured or self-insured persons; to prescribe duties for certain state departments and officers with respect to that reporting; to provide for certain assessments; to establish and continue certain state insurance funds; to modify and clarify the status, rights, powers, duties, and operations of the nonprofit malpractice insurance fund; to provide for the departmental supervision and regulation of the insurance and surety business within this state; to provide for the conservation, rehabilitation, or liquidation of unsound or insolvent insurers; to provide for the protection of policyholders, claimants, and creditors of unsound or insolvent insurers; to provide for associations of insurers to protect policyholders and claimants in the event of insurer insolvencies; to prescribe educational requirements for insurance agents and solicitors; to provide for the regulation of multiple employer welfare arrangements; to create an automobile theft prevention authority to reduce the number of automobile thefts in this state; to prescribe the powers and duties of the automobile theft prevention authority; to provide certain powers and duties upon certain officials, departments, and authorities of this state; to repeal certain acts and parts of acts; to repeal certain acts and parts of acts on specific dates; to repeal certain parts of this act on specific dates; and to provide penalties for the violation of this act," by amending section 3020 (MCL 500.3020), as amended by 1996 PA 77.

(Filed with the Secretary of State December 21, 1998, at 11:12 a.m.)

Date: December 21, 1998

Time: 10:10 a.m.

To the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

Sir--I have this day approved and signed

Enrolled House Bill No. 6271 (Public Act No. 416, I.E.), being

An act to amend 1998 PA 58, entitled "An act to create a commission for the control of the alcoholic beverage traffic within this state, and to prescribe its powers, duties, and limitations; to provide for powers and duties for certain state departments and agencies; to impose certain taxes for certain purposes; to provide for the control of the alcoholic liquor traffic within this state and to provide for the power to establish state liquor stores; to provide for the care and treatment of alcoholics; to provide for the incorporation of farmer cooperative wineries and the granting of certain rights and privileges to those cooperatives; to provide for the licensing and taxation of activities regulated under this act and the disposition of the money received under this act; to prescribe liability for retail licensees under certain circumstances and to require security for that liability; to provide procedures, defenses, and remedies regarding violations of this act; to provide for the enforcement and to prescribe penalties for violations of this act; to provide for allocation of certain funds for certain purposes; to provide for the confiscation and disposition of property seized under this act; to provide referenda under certain circumstances; and to repeal acts and parts of acts," by amending sections 205, 501, 513, 522, 531, 533, 811, 903, and 1113 (MCL 436.1205, 436.1501, 436.1513, 436.1522, 436.1531, 436.1533,

The following communication from the Secretary of State was received and read:

Notice of Filing

Administrative Rules

November 13, 1998

In accordance with the provisions of Section 46(1) of Act 306, Public Acts of 1969, as amended, and Executive Order 1995-6 this is to advise you that the Office of Regulatory Reform, Legal Division filed at 1:25 P.M. this date, administrative rule (98-11-2) for the Department of Treasury, Bureau of State Lottery, entitled "Lottery Rules", effective 15 days hereafter.

Sincerely,

Candice S. Miller

Secretary of State

Helen Kruger, Supervisor

Office of the Great Seal

The communication was referred to the Clerk.

The following communications from the Auditor General were received and read:

December 11, 1998

Enclosed is a copy of the following audit report and/or executive digest:

Performance Audit of

Mid Michigan Community College

December 1998

December 17, 1998

Enclosed is a copy of the following audit report and/or executive digest:

Performance and Financial Related Audit of the

Hospital Patients' Trust Fund

Department of Community Health

December 1998

Sincerely,

Thomas H. McTavish, C.P.A.

Auditor General

The communications were referred to the Clerk and the accompanying reports referred to the Committee on House Oversight and Ethics.

The following communication from the Michigan Higher Education Assistance Authority was received and read:

December 11, 1998

Public Act 77 of 1960, as amended, requires that the Michigan Higher Education Assistance Authority submit an annual report to the Governor and the Legislature. Enclosed, for your review, is the Annual Report for 1996-97 of both the Michigan Higher Education Assistance Authority and the Michigan Higher Education Student Loan Authority.

Sincerely,

H. Jack Nelson

Executive Director

The communication was referred to the Clerk.

The following communication from the Office of Drug Control Policy was received and read:

December 18, 1998

I am pleased to transmit the Byrne Memorial Formula Grant application from the Office of Drug Control Policy to the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance for the drug enforcement grant program.

This application is being forwarded to your office for information and review pursuant to Section 1304 (a)(2) of the Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula grant program. This application requests $16,926,000.

Rep. Gagliardi moved that the following remarks be printed in the Journal.

The motion prevailed.

Rep. Gire:

"Thank you Mr. Speaker for the privilege of a farewell speech. It is with pride as well as profound sadness that I leave this honorable institution. Having worked successfully on some of this issues I consider most important to our citizens, education, families and children, I feel satisfied that I have served the purpose for which I was elected and am proud of what I have achieved. I take pride also in having worked with the model of bipartisanship which I believe is what the voters expect of us. I thank all of you for the honor and privilege of presiding over many hours of House sessions. I've tried to be fair, but in control, and will never forget the mix of awe at the power of the gavel and of the challenge of containing the enthusiasm of a group of politicians sometimes ready for a break. I sincerely will miss the Legislature, the excitement, the friendships, the learning and skills I have gained from all of you. The opportunity to contribute and most importantly the opportunity and the significance of doing the people's business working together to solve the problems of our state as their elected representatives. There will never be anything quite like serving these last 12 years. I look forward to continuing my work on education issues as a member of the State Board of Education, and to working with those of you who will continue in the Legislature. To those of you who do continue on, I sincerely wish you good luck. To those of us retiring, may we have rewarding and worthwhile future endeavors. Thank you all, and God bless you."

Rep. Voorhees:

"Thank you Mr. Speaker. This is my favorite time of the year, or it always was, until this day when I have to realize that though I supported term limits I am now moved by them to look for other avenues of service. It's also a favorite time of the year for the joy and the happiness of the holidays. I always like to recall that song that said: 'Hark to Harold the angels sang'. I tried to get that to happen here many times and once in awhile we would be a little bit successful and then sometimes we know that we weren't. It has really been an awesome, awesome opportunity of service for the last six years to be a member of this august body and serve the residents of this state and to get into many times very important issues and debates. I go back to the words as I was brought up under, the teachings of the Bible to follow Jesus Christ and in the word it said that: 'We fight not against flesh and blood, but against principalities powers'. I'd like to believe that I have never personally had any personal attacks or animosity amongst my fellow legislators, in fact, as I think back to the great debates with my genetic brother Ed Vaughn, as we would debate multi-racial designation, I have come to love and appreciate my fellow legislator and all. I really feel that is one thing that I hope will continue, that we realize that we are all here elected by our constituents. We bring who we are, that has been my goal and hope it will be in whatever endeavors each of us go to, that we will be who we are. That we don't try to be someone else but that we carry out in discussion and in legislation who we are. I know who I am, I know to whom I owe my life, and to whom I serve above all. I serve my Lord and I serve the people of this state and it's been an honor to do so. Whether I stood here on the floor using red papers as we talked about revenue sharing or used cookies to talk about how we waffle on issues here. It's always been, I believe, a most invigorating and enlightening and enjoyable time. I thought I would sit down once and add up how calories of cookies we've eaten here on the floor of the House. I can tell you I've appreciated that to me the cookies were just that, the opportunity to sit down and talk and to build a relationship and I'm just thankful for that opportunity. So it is with deep sadness in my heart that I leave, but I'm excited that my wife of 40 years will pick up that position and work with that and if she doesn't file me as a lobbyist maybe she'll let me come on the floor with her once in awhile. I'm looking forward to that and I just want to know that I appreciate the six years that I've been here. The times of 55-55, the times of majority, and the times of minority, and majority is a lot more fun Mr. Speaker. I have to say thank you to my peers who had elected me to serve my second term as vice-chair of the caucus and then the last two years to be chair of our caucus, that was an honor that I appreciate. I also want to say thank you to the many people that work behind the scenes. Those who work in the Clerk's office, those who are Sergeant of Arms and to the many pages, the many times they would run to the van for another load of cookies. I appreciate very much their service and I want to say my God bless each and everyone of you in this holiday season and beyond that we truly will be vessels of His love, that we will be instruments of His hands and that we will be truly His heart, God's heart, extended to one another. Thank you Mr. Speaker."

Rep. Ciaramitaro:

"Mr. Speaker, and members, 20 years is both a long time and the blink of an eye. Serving in the House of Representatives is both a tremendous honor and at times a difficult chore. Often the public does not think of our efforts are of much import. Too often we ourselves play to the public myth that government service is less than honorable. We should not do so. The men and women who have served in this Chamber have given much for the good of the people of the State of Michigan. While we must not take ourselves too seriously, nor should we forget that we are but failed human beings. We should remind ourselves and the public that we do much good, good that the public sector cannot do without us. And we can take pride in the work that we have done. We do that work by working together, more than the public ever realizes. And we do that work with much assistance. I want to take a few moments to say thank you to those who have helped make so many of my efforts here successful. Thanks to those men and women with whom I served who have already left this chamber, either by retirement or by death. Especially the great public servants like Bill Ryan and Mary Brown, who taught me how to make this system work. To great friends like Lyn Jondahl and Fred Dillingham. And to great leaders like Bobby Crim and Morris Hood, and to so many others. Thanks also to my colleagues of today, especially you, Mr. Speaker, for your friendship, your trust and your respect. Thank you too for the disagreements and the political battles, because our ideas are properly tested only through debate with respected opponents who are also fighting for their beliefs. Thank you to all the staff people who really are the heart of this institution, but especially to Sharlene Sam Martin, who came here 20 years ago from Roseville, and has been my right hand ever since. Thanks to my supporters and to the voters of my district, and thanks especially to my family, three members who are here with me today. My aunt, Leonora, who ran campaigns and bingos. My mother, who cooked spaghetti and labeled and worked in many areas that she never expected to be involved in. My wife Peggy, who is always there for me and has put up with late night sessions and a generally disrupted lifestyle. To those of you remaining I wish to give just one word of advice. Fight hard for what you believe, but remember to respect your opponents for they are doing the same thing. That is the strength of democracy. Goodbye to this House, which has been like a home. Thank you all."

Rep. Crissman:

"I would like to stand here today and thank especially those people from the 45th House District. I want them to know that I worked diligently for them to the best of my ability. It has been an amazing six years of office and I believe that I have had the privilege of serving you during historical times. I wish to thank them for giving me that opportunity. To my family, I owe them a great deal of gratitude for their support and patience, while I pursued a career in government. My husband, Charles, spent many days and nights alone while I was gone. He accompanied me to functions and events that I know that he would rather not have been at. He has always been by my side during difficult times. My adult children, Mark and Mitzi Crissman-Melstrom, have always been my pride and joy. They also had to deal with my being gone, when they have needed me. During my term of office two wonderful grandchildren were born, Samantha and Jacob Hazelton. They have been the sunshine of my life and I look forward to spending more time with them. To my colleagues I want you to know that it has been wonderful serving with you, there have been differences of opinions, differences of philosophies and differences of personalities. I have always respected you when you stood firmly for your ideals. I will miss you. To my legislative aide, Mitzi Curry, who has been with me from the beginning of my term in office I extend my heartfelt appreciation for the time and hard work that she has done for me and for the people of the 45th District. She has been a dedicated worker and a friend. To my Lord, I thank You for giving me the time to finish my term following illness. Guide me to continue Your work, following this chapter in my life. To all of the people of this great country, I wish you could travel just one time to another country, then you would realize what an extraordinary place you live in. Our government may have flaws and the people who are elected may have flaws, but it is the greatest government in the world. We all need to work to make it better. God bless the State of Michigan, the United States of America, and may all of you have a joyous and wonderful holiday. Thank you."

Rep. Leland:

"I never would have thought that I'd be here 18 years. I went through a couple of elections, I went through a couple of reapportionments and now on to the Senate. Mr. Speaker it has been fantastic having you as my Speaker, I've served under several speakers and clearly you are my favorite. You have been very helpful to my career and I will always be very grateful. There certainly will be a warm place in my heart for you and Chris, Vicki and the rest of your family. I'll just be across the hall so I won't be real far and I hope that many of you folks will keep in touch with me. It's been an honor to serve in this House, I've enjoyed the job, it's probably been the best job I've ever had and it's the most dreadable job I've ever had. I'll miss some of you people, not all of you. I always said it like it was. I should probably quit while I'm ahead, but you know where I'll be, you know how to get a hold of me. Some of you will still be around here and we'll keep in touch. Mr. Speaker, I'm so proud of you, 18 years, when you sat behind me I wondered, 'How did this guy ever get here?', you probably wondered the same about me. You were shy, introverted, you had some big shoes to fill. Your brother John the senator, your brother Dennis the congressman. You filled them well. I'm proud of you Mr. Speaker and thank you for the opportunity to let me speak, and on with the show."

Rep. Walberg:

"Thank you Mr. Speaker. Indeed it has been a privilege for the past 16 years to utter that statement, 'Thank you Mr. Speaker'. As a person who came in 16 years ago, idealistic, I still am. But a much different person than I was then. With the privilege of serving under Speakers such as Gary Owen, Lew Dodak, Paul Hillegonds and you Mr. Speaker Hertel. Indeed it has been a learning experience that I will never regret. It has been a privilege to serve here. To be able to stand here and disagree, without being disagreeable, hopefully. To debate very strong issues of concern whether, it was a concern to anyone else or not, except your own constituencies. It's been a privilege to meet people in this House, who though at times are looked down upon in society for being politicians. Yet I've had the privilege to understand what this system of government means and what type of people it takes to run it. It has been an honor to serve with you who have taken the slings and arrows, who have stood tall for your district and for issues that you believe strongly in. I thank God for the opportunity of serving with good people, people who have been on my staff, Barb Southwell, who has served in my office for all 16 years. Thank you Barb. For Harvey Warrick, who served up until just this past term. And for Jackie Mosher who came in and ably filled that staff position. We too often take the credit ourselves, when in fact it is our staff who do a great amount of the work. I've appreciated serving here in this House with pages and sergeants, with Clerk's staff, with analysts who have done the jobs they were asked to do and done them well. I thank God for a wife and a family, two sons and a daughter who have grown with me in this job and who have supported all along the way. But then I come to answer the question that I have been given so many times in recent months when people have said, 'What will you miss most about your time in the Legislature as you leave?' It comes down to a very simple statement, it's the people, the people that I have served with. So, for all of you who are going out and on, proclaim the beauties of the ugliness of democracy as Lyn Johndahl encouraged us to. And to those of you who remain here in this great body, serve with distinction. I want you to know that I thank you for the privilege of serving with you. I will think about you as I pay my property tax bills. I will think about you as I buckle my seat belts, and I will think about you when I put my helmet on. But I'll also think about you, I'll pray for you and wish that as it is said in scriptures about just a small group of people in David's mighty band, the sons of Ithicar, it said they were people who understood the times with knowledge of what their nation should do. May God give you that wisdom. Thank you for the years of service."

______

The Speaker called the Associate Speaker Pro Tempore to the Chair.

Rep. Oxender:

"Thank you Madam Speaker. I hope the members will be pleased today that I'm not standing up here working for a school aid bill today. One of the times that I'm not beating you over the head for votes for education. I want to thank everyone for the opportunity to serve here. Sixteen years ago I had the privilege of walking into this House, and it was an awe inspiring experience to come in here. I want to thank the people of, first the 42nd District and now the 59th District, that have sent me here to Lansing to do the work of the people of Michigan. One of the things obviously, my dream to come here, was to change the school finance reform. Thankfully I was able to serve during a time when Michigan made some significant changes. I'm very proud of those and I think and hope that we can maintain that, to have the best education system in the nation, which I think we do. I want to thank my wife and family for putting up with me. They have grown up over the years and I have missed some opportunities with them, but I want to thank them for their support of me. Also my staff, Cheryl and Mary who make me look good back home.

Members of the House, I appreciate your persistence with charts and graphs and things I throw at you. I believe very dearly in the cause that education has to be the number one priority in the State of Michigan, otherwise we can't afford the society that will come about. My most memorable time here was back in 1988-89 session. I was on the floor, very passionately speaking on a speech on school finance reform, when we were in the Democrat\Republican mode. I was saying that I did have a dream as Martin Luther King had a dream. That we could forget that we were Democrats and Republicans, that we were just representative people. After that speech a gentleman came over and hugged me and said that I was his brother. That was a very memorable point of my career. I think the best memorable session was our 55-55 split, where neither party could hide any piece of legislation and we all had to argue on its merits. I probably enjoyed that more than the majority because I could rest every other month. When you are in the majority you can't. I certainly enjoyed my time here. In the future, keep remembering we are elected people to do the people's work and not Democrats and Republicans. We are here for a better State of Michigan. I'd like to finish my comments, my last comments on the floor today, with a statement that has been on my wall for 5, 840 days plus. It's a statement that I've used in the invocation, very many times and something that I have to keep in my mind:

This is the beginning of a new day,

God has given me this day to use as I will.

I can waste it, or I can use it for good.

What I do today is very important,

because I'm exchanging a day of my life for it.

When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever,

leaving something in the place I have traded for it.

I want it to be gain, not loss.

Good, not evil.

Success, not failure.

In order to not forget the price I paid for it.

Thank you members of the House for putting up with me. I appreciate it."

Rep. Wetters:

"It's been an honor to be here. It's a place I never expected to be. I never thought I'd have an opportunity to serve here. On this last day of session I did something that I felt would bring closure to that. It's a recreation of what happened 12 years ago when I first came down here. At that time I came down to work for Rep. Tom Hickner, who is now the County Executive for Bay County. I parked my car on Seymour street and walked towards the Capitol. I remember so clearly how frightened and proud and uncertain I was that I could come to this place or if I could work here. On our last day of session I parked my car again on Seymour street, the same place that I parked it that day. I walked toward the Capitol and thought, while I'm a little less scared I'm still just as proud. I'm also proud of the work we've done here and I've tried to do in the last twelve years that I've been here. This place molds and shapes us. Lord knows that I've stood up on this floor and said more than I should have much of the time. Thank you for your forbearance for that. I want to thank some people for allowing me to be here. I want to thank Tom Hickner who brought me down here to work for him that in turn gave me the experience to be here with all of you. I want to thank my father, whose reputation and good name allowed me to come here as a state representative. Without him I don't think that I probably would have come here. I want to thank my staff, Kristen Harrelson, who has departed and gone to Chicago. Marilynn Pell and Jeff Mayes who all have done a wonderful job with making me look good, and quite frankly making up for some of my shortcomings throughout all six years that I've been here. Most of all I want to thank my family. My wife Julianne and my daughter, Hannah, who too often ate alone and too often missed me. I'm looking forward now to spending more time with them, it's their time now. I've always tried in all the dealings that I've had with all of you, to be straight forward, to be honest and never to misrepresent anything. I've pretty much tried to do that, and have done that. There is one apology I want to make to some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. At the beginning of this session I got involved in an issue, the concealed weapons debate, because I thought there was a reason to be in that. For the last two years I've walked across the aisle to some of my colleagues on that side, and time and time again I asked you to withdraw amendments, to not offer them, to not put them up, because I said that we would eventually get to vote on those bills. My mistake was in believing we would. I just wanted to say to all of you that I asked to do that, I was wrong and I apologize for being wrong about that. That's the only thing that I can think of in the last six years that I have really done, where I actually misrepresented something to people, and the only defense I have is that I really believed that that would happen. Thank you for allowing us and my family and myself to be a part of this place. For your help, for your assistance, for your heartfelt debate. Thank you most of all for allowing me to leave this place, I think, with my integrity intact, which is what I really wanted when I came down here. Thanks."

Rep. Middaugh:

"Thank you Madam Speaker. I want to take this opportunity today to say goodbye to this distinguished body. Madam Speaker I served here in this chamber longer than I care to remember at times, and I've tried to do so with some professionalism, some fairness and some bipartisanship. Many of the people, Madam Speaker, that I began my tenure here with have passed away. Many of the people that I started with have moved on to other careers, and many of the people who I have worked with in my office have succeeded in ways that have left me extremely proud. Through all of my experiences I have learned that there is one lesson that is more important than any, that the greatest victories do not come in public acts, and the greatest accomplishments are not decided by elections. The most important experiences of all are the friendships and the smiles that you share along the way with your colleagues. Your family and your friends are what life is all about. So I stand here today, very humble before the people's House. Thankful for the opportunity given to me by the families of southwestern Michigan. I've been lucky to have made so many friends through this job and in this chamber, and also in the private sector that we work with very closely. Especially from those people in my district. I've had a lot of fun and I've gained a lot of weight. I went out the other day to rent a tux for the Governor's Inaugural and they had a record from that first Jim Blanchard Inaugural of January of 1983. Things have changed. Paraphrased from the late General MacArthur, overweight legislators never die, they just feed at a bigger buffet. In conclusion, the people of Michigan do a real good job of electing their public officials. I can think of no one in the 16 years that I would consider someone that I dislike or an enemy. Certainly you don't get to know everyone, like you do get to know some of your colleagues. I remember the first time I entered this chamber in 1962. My representative at that time was Representative Edson Root. I decided then that someday I wanted to serve in this chamber. I was 16 years old at the time, active in politics in my district as a young Republican. That was a lifetime goal, to serve here. As Representative Wetters mentioned, probably my first election was on my family's good name. I want to thank my family, my wife Mary Ann. I came here as a single person and I leave very proud of the relationship and the marriage to my wife and as mentioned earlier, she will be filling my seat in the House of Representatives. I have made some suggestions to her and she's made it clear that she will make her own decisions in this chamber. I guess I'm pleased about that because this chamber, while we take advice from people at home, we take advice from the private sector, and we take advice from our colleagues and staff, the bottom line is, that no one can push that button except the elected representative. Thank you for the opportunity for allowing me to serve."

Rep. London:

"Mr. Speaker and Members, it is with fulfillment, personal growth and satisfaction, yet a fair amount of sadness that I stand here before you this morning. It may be just another sine die of the House of Representatives, Mr. Speaker, but it is truly sine die for 63 retiring members of this great institution due to term limits.

Mr. Speaker, some of us will take jobs in the private sector, some will retire, still others will serve in the Senate or other state government work. But never will we 109 members of the House of Representatives be together again. Mr. Speaker and Members, we can never change the past or present, but we can look toward the future positively as we enter into a new phase of our lives. For we have debated tight issues, disagreed on the issues, agreed on the issues, and finally came to a consensus on the issues. For this, Mr. Speaker, we have made Michigan a better place.

Now, I want to thank Speakers Owen, Dodak, Hillegonds and Hertel, respectively. I also want to thank Republican leaders, Mike Bush and Ken Sikkema, respectively. I want to thank all of my staff who have faithfully worked for the me over my tenure, but most of all Mrs. Ruth Blakeslee who has been with me for ten years.

Finally, Mr. Speaker and Members, I want to thank my wife, Ann, who stood by me, helped me and supported me in these twelve years."

And so, it is the last time that I say, "Thank you Mr. Speaker and Members."

Rep. Goschka:

"Mr. Speaker and Members: As I close out six years of service in the Michigan House of Representatives and look toward serving in the Michigan State Senate, I do so with much humility, a deep appreciation to the residents of the 94th House and 33rd Senate Districts, and with a major sense of loss in regard to my colleagues with whom I will no longer be serving. It is indeed with mixed emotions that I approach this microphone for perhaps the last time.

After three failed attempts at public office, the residents of Saginaw County saw fit to give me the tremendous honor of serving as their State Representative. They were willing to accept a forklift driver from Brant Township over that of a sitting Speaker of the House. In so doing, they entrusted me with the highest of honor, and I have always made it my personal priority to demonstrate and live out the values of honesty, integrity, character, and personal faith in God. I believe these to be important because after one leaves office, all that remains is his or her legacy and reputation. The final votes are yesterday's news and mostly forgotten, but the legacy and reputation live on. With my family by my side at this very moment--my wife, Maryann, and my children, Kristine, Andrew and David--I am proud that I can say that by the Grace of God--and only by His Grace--I have lived up to my commitment and the trust that my constituents have placed in me.

I have never forgotten from where I have come. I have always believed in standing up for principle and the people that I represent. My mother and father, Arthur C. Goschka and Ethel M. Alden Goschka raised me to do nothing less, and I am proud of the great people I knew them to be. Unfortunately, they both passed away during my first term and could not be with me during my recent hard-fought victory for the 33rd District Senate seat. Nonetheless, I have done my best to take with me in life what my dad, a twenty-six and-a-half year postal employee and my mom, a homemaker and factory worker, gave me. Although they are not here with us, I am thankful for all that my Mom and Dad gave to me.

I will miss my colleagues in this House. I will never forget serving with a 55-55 split House and having Co-Speakers, Co-Committee Chairmen, Co-Clerks, etc., nor will I forget the Special Election of Clyde LeTarte to retain shared power.

I will never forget Frank Fitzgerald with a gavel in his hand, nor will I forget a twenty-six-and-a-half hour marathon session that did not end until 12:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve, 1993. I will never forget the unbelievable happenings with a 55-52 'short House' in April, 1994. Can we ever forget Bill Bobier and the Island of Belize? Can we ever forget Jerry Vorva challenging any one of us to 'meet' him on the Capitol lawn?

I will forever remember the wit of Speaker Curtis Hertel; he always knew what one-liner to give us in which we all could take a break and laugh. I will remember various speeches given by Nick Ciaramitaro, David Hollister, David Gubow, Mike Bennane, Mary Brown, Maxine Berman--and Nelson Saunders--when he was here (laughter). I will always appreciate David Anthony for speaking Yooper when requested to do so. I will remember that CPA duo of Barbara Dobb and Susan Grimes Munsell. I will never forget how in caucus Kim Rhead single-handedly forced the vote on Dan Gustafson's bill of lowering the property tax to only six mills on farmland. I will always remember my good friend James E. O'Neill, Jr. asking for the previous question. I will remember good and decent individuals like Gary Randall, a true 'legislator's legislator', one who seemed to go through every bill with a fine-toothed comb.

I will not forget those times that I voted with my caucus (laughter)--both of them! Some things never seem to change, however. I am reminded that I will continue to see more David Jaye amendments (laughter).

I will not forget the lasting friendships I made with Jim McBryde and Al Lowe and their families.

I will not forget slashing property taxes, reducing the income tax (which we will do for the people of Michigan in the next term), eliminating the intangibles tax, reducing the Single Business Tax, and virtually eliminating the inheritance tax--just to name a few. I will remember giving parents more freedom and choice in the education of their children. I will remember welfare reform and fighting for working families, senior citizens and veterans, and especially for children. We have accomplished much for the people of Michigan, and many of my current colleagues were involved in that process.

I love this House and its acceptance of common everyday people. I love its atmosphere. I also have a deep appreciation for everyone with whom I have served. I will say it again. Despite areas where we have differences on issues, I have a deep respect for every one of you, my colleagues. I thank God for bringing us together, and I thank the people of Saginaw County for sending a forklift driver to Lansing to represent them. I know of no greater honor than they have given to me. Thank you and God bless you all!"

Rep. Parks:

"Thank you Madame Speaker. I come this morning to say goodbye to all of my colleagues and those friends that I have been privileged to know over the last six years. And I had some very mixed emotions on whether I was going to come or not come. I said why not come to the party, everybody likes a good party. But I come this morning to say my motto is when we all work together we can accomplish great things. I want to say thank you to Speaker Hertel who allowed me to call him when some days I was confused. He always had the patience to understand as I came into the legislature. I didn't have the privilege like some of you to come in and go through a training procedure. I came in the middle in a special election and my training was to come in from that door to my seat and vote. So, Pat would come over and I do want to say thanks Pat Gagliardi as floor leader. And I learned real fast how to do that. I want to say thanks to the Clerks, the staff, the Seargent at Arms and to all of the young people who once I knew what those buttons were for I would touch those buttons and they would be there to assist me in whatever I needed. I also would like to take this opportunity to say thanks to my family who supported me and understood and stood by me, to my constituents back in the third district, to my staff who have been very loyal, Barbara Hicks and Sha'Ron Hampton and to the many people who helped to make this last five and one half years great in my life here in the legislature. As each of us leave, and many of you will stay, remember to always be your sisters' and brothers' keeper in unity. There is strength always in unity. My motto when I came to the legislature in 1993 was to be a part in helping to make a difference in the many issues that faced our citizens in this great state. And I believe that we all did make a difference. I truly believe we did. Remember this, we must continue to work together although we are going in separate and different directions. I will always be just a phone call away. I want to say to my colleagues as we say on one side of the aisle, or the other side, I always looked at us as being under one big umbrella. Although I didn't get on the other side of the aisle as much but we did through the board and looking over at each other. We are all just a big beautiful bouquet of roses and we belong to someone who sits much higher and looks much lower than we do. But I want us always to remember that we must continue to talk, work and act together. I want to say thank you to the legislative black caucus which, of course, I was also very privileged to work with and to many many friends. When the Representative mentioned Nelson Saunders, I said yes, when he was here he was a bad dude. And, to another good friend of mine, I know he is looking down on us this morning. That is none other than Representative Morris Hood. I was privileged to serve on Appropriations. I will always remember his strength and how concerned he was and felt about the city from which he came and helping other young legislators such as myself. I am a ministers daughter and very seldom do I speak without making reference to the Supreme Being but I wanted to do it a little different today because I wanted to leave that as the last thing that I say to you. I would like to say to each of you today as we depart and go our ways, may each and you and your families have peace and happiness this holiday. Not only for just this season but for always. And, take love with you. My saying is O Lord, Our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth and that is the name that is excellent and will be for us forever more. May peace and happiness go with each of you and whatever it is that you are going to be doing. My parents always said to me as I went out the door, my nickname was chocolate, they would say, 'Chocolate, do your best and keep a smile on your face.' God bless you."

Rep. McNutt:

"Thank you Madame Speaker and members. This goodbye remark reminds me a little bit of the Christmas letter that you get this time of year. You know the type from the relatives that recount what they have done over a years period of time. Extolling the accomplishments of their kids and the great trips that they have taken and so forth. And that's tough to do, to reflect back one year. Now, I started doing this about a year ago and my wife now thinks that its a tradition. She starts on me about three weeks ago saying Jim have you done the Christmas letter yet, so I sat down and did it. The point I want to make is that its hard to think back one year. How about eight years, or twenty years or sixteen years? Its almost impossible. For some strange reason some of my strongest and most vivid memories are from the first term. The Proposal A vote--and the lesson I learned there was don't answer your phone late at night when you're in a close vote because you might be talking to someone you don't want to talk to. And when I did, this particular person said, 'Jim, can't you give me a vote on this', and I said, 'well, if you can get these two fellows up there in front to give you a vote--they haven't given you a vote all night', and we were about on the seventh tax replacement at that time and I had been voting for some of them, most of them. This was on real estate transfer taxes. I said, ' if you can get those two fellows to give you a vote, I will give you a vote.' Then I learned that he can get the votes because he got those two fellows to vote. Remember that Mick? The other memory that I have, and I enjoyed the style so much, of Dominick Jacobetti when he got up to orate. He had the old style of oration. He would start of at a very low level, and you had to strain to hear the words. And, it would build to a crescendo and it would always end with a criticism of the administration. But it was a style that is passe now. It is out of style. You don't hear it anymore. I was privileged, I think, to have that experience when Dominick served and he served for many years, I guess over forty. The other thing that is vivid in my memory on passing legislation is that it wasn't the loyal opposition that was the difficulty in getting bills passed so much, nor was it the stakeholders, but it was our friends across the hall that were the big obstacle. If you could get through their process, then you could pat yourself on the back for doing a good job. It was always difficult to get through the Senate. Rep. Tim Walberg put it well, 'what will you miss the most?' And of course it is the people. The contact that you have now, you will never have again once you leave this place. You would like to think that you will keep up those acquaintances but you will not. And everyone has treated me considerately and with kindness. And, I should say with a lot of kindness when I would commit my many errors and they would help me out. I enjoyed my experience here very much. When I came here, eight years ago, I hadn't been to a doctor in years, now I have three doctors. Never had a trip to the emergency room--had a trip to the emergency room and had I.V's. I had my car wrecked. I had my phone stolen. But even with those few inconveniences it has been truly an enjoyable experience. Rep. Middaugh mentioned General McArthur. And, for the younger people in the audience, General McArthur was a general during World War II. Now I mention that because a lot of people don't know who General McArthur was and I look at the two Jennifers that work for me. Jennifer Jones that has been with me the eight years and Jennifer Bowman. The difficulty in having two people working for you with the same name is how do you distinguish between the two? It is tough to call one old Jennifer and one young Jennifer. It is not politically correct. Or big Jennifer and little Jennifer. This poses somewhat of a problem. Seargent at Arms Jenema, the new chief, Dick--would distinguish them by saying, 'the blonde'. Back to General McArthur. I won't paraphrase the general, I'll plagiarize the General by saying that, 'I'm just going to fade away.' What are you going to do when you retire has been the most often asked question. I'm going to do relatively little to tell you the truth. I filed for Social Security the other day and for those who are nearing that age, you can do it by phone. You don't even have to go to the office. It is quite simple now. To Pat Gagliardi, and I don't see him in the audience here. Oh, there he is. Here's a little known fact, and I certainly haven't broadcast it too much, but Pat is from Midland--my hometown. When he had the post-labor day bill up, and, believe me Pat, if you will, the class from your old school at Parkdale who came here in mass, I didn't know really which way they were going to testify that day. If you will buy that. Oh, you won't buy that. I apologize if they didn't support your bill that day. So, with that, again, I want to thank everyone for all of their help and their consideration of me during my eight years here. I have to repeat how much I truly enjoyed the experience. I have to thank Rep. Lynn Owen for teaching me what the corrections budget was all about and for identifying those pots of money that they would squirrel away here and there. I think we ferreted out quite a few of them and got that solved. I hope we did. And, so with that, I will say goodbye and with the new folks coming in next year I am sure that you will do well. And, with that, goodbye."

Rep. Kukuk:

"The Preamble to the Constitution of the State of Michigan states '. . . grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of our freedom'. I am indeed, grateful to God for the blessing of allowing me to serve the State of Michigan for the last six years as a State Representative.

My service to the state of Michigan began in July of 1955 when I enlisted in the 182nd Field Artillery Battalion of the Michigan National Guard. There are many memories of my experience. In my first year of service, I was recruited in the summer to battle the hot forest fires that were destroying the natural beauty of our state. Also, I can remember the times standing at attention on the parade grounds saluting past Governors G. Mennen Williams and John B. Swainson as Commander-in-Chiefs of the Michigan National Guard. Those were seven years of memorable service to the state of Michigan.

My entry into local community service began 30 years ago when I joined the ranks of the Macomb Township volunteer Fire Department. Shortly thereafter, I landed a job working for the Township as a Public Works Inspector. My first elective office was in 1980 when I assumed the duties of Township Supervisor. After serving the Township, I went on to serve as County Commissioner, Chairing the Operations Committee of Macomb County.

Six years ago I undertook a new challenge when I was elected to represent the 33rd State House District as their representative to the state House. Climbing this ladder of success was never easy for me for I had to defeat an incumbent for each elective office in which I ever served. I just have so much to be thankful for.

When I first ran for state House in 1992, I pledged an agenda of lowering property taxes, job creation, and the completion of M-59 which bisects my district east to west. Today I salute the Honorable Governor John Engler. If it had not been for his leadership and support from this legislature, we could not say 'promises made, promises kept'.

I am very proud to have been judged one of the most conservative members of the legislature by 'Inside Michigan Politics' in 1994. My conservative record is less government, lower taxes, and more economic growth. I was the only Macomb County legislator to have supported Proposal A to be placed on the ballot, which cut property taxes.

Among my first bill to become law was legislation that increased the personal exemption from the state income tax for every working citizen. This law, part of a package of tax cuts, reduced the tax burden on every working citizen in the state of Michigan.

I have always supported the Right To Life issues and remain committed to supporting and recognizing the importance of Life.

The environment and Lake St. Clair has always been a top priority for Macomb County citizens. I am very proud to have introduced a bill that dedicates unclaimed bottle deposit money to environmental cleanup. The bill is now law and over $44 million in new unclaimed bottle deposit money that is now used to clean our lakes, streams, and landfill sites.

As state Representative, I have had the honor and privilege of acting on the beliefs of the citizens of the 33rd District in a manner that makes our state stronger, cleaner and safer. That is a rare honor, indeed. The fact that I have maintained a 100% attendance record over the past six years is testament to the fact that I have taken the responsibility of this job very seriously. I want to thank my colleagues that helped make the last six years here successful. I want to thank my constituents for their faith and trust. I will never forget my experiences here in this Chamber, nor the warm manner in which I was treated by my constituents. All good things must come to an end. I still have the best interests of my God, my state, my country, and my community at heart. May the Lord bless you all."

Rep Cropsey:

"Thank you Madam Speaker. Last night I asked my oldest son, what should I tell the folks tomorrow? He said, 'Tell them it's been great knowing you guys, now it's time to get on with the rest of our lives.' You should be so lucky that I would stop at that. There are several people over the many years that I do owe a tremendous debt of gratitude. The people of Clinton and Ionia Counties, and then when I served in the Senate, Clinton, Shiawassee and Livingston Counties. I really appreciate the trust that they have had in me by letting me serve in the Legislature. During my first election in 1978, I was single. Now when I leave the Legislature, I have a wife and four kids. Three of the kids think they are going to be as tall as their dad, but things change over a period of time that people are in here. My mom and dad, in particular. I've been especially pleased to serve with my father in the Legislature. First in the this body and then over there in the other body after serving over here for four years. My family was a tremendous help in that first election in getting elected. Mom was out knocking on doors till late at night, trying to make sure her son had a job, I think is what she was doing. But when you look at those first years, the first term does stick out. And then getting elected to the Senate also sticks out. And going over the staff that I had here in the House--I think Mary Coscarelli was my first secretary, then Janine Davis. I took Janine over to the Senate with me. In the Senate, hiring some more good staff, Charlene McCallum whose still working in the Senate, Jeff Hatcher, who is gone on to medical school and now working as a physician down in Indiana. Doug Beckler who is gone on to bigger and better things became my chief of staff and hired a lady who has become his wife, Mary Beckler, who is now a lobbyist and valued a fundraiser. Coming in in that first class, I think that maybe Clerk Randall could help me on this, but I think that I am the only member left in the class that we came in that is serving right now. Nick Ciaramitaro is also. So there are a couple of us. That was a very large class that came in that year, and we've had several friendships that have come about because of that. The people that you come in with are truly very special people. Serving in the Senate, I appreciated the people I served with there. The conservatives made up a group of Senator Fredericks, my father, myself and Senator Welborn. There were times when we gave the majority leader, John Engler, absolute fits but he had to deal with us. It was fun giving him fits at times and I think that I've always given him fits, but I do appreciate the Governor. At that time he did have me chair the Senate Judiciary Committee and that was a tremendous responsibility for a person as young as I was at that time. I do appreciate the trust that, Senator Engler at that time, had in me. Being out of office for awhile and then coming back again was a wonderful experience. Coming back in the first time there were some of us on the Republican side that had to sit over on the Democrat side and I was chosen to do so, and right about where Representative Schauer is sitting right now. I was sitting between two wonderful people, Representative Willard, and at that time Representative Byrum. I think we were all wondering, how was this going to work out? Well I have appreciated the lessons I have learned over on that side. Also I appreciated the tolerance that they did show me. There were times when it wouldn't have been so easy to be tolerant. One of the things that I think that we need to remember is that especially those that are new, that are coming in, is that some of our best lessons we can learn are from people on the other side. The best chairman I ever served under was in my second term of the House of Representatives, Representative Jeff Padden. Clerk Mary Kay Scullion was the clerk to the Corrections Committee. Representative Padden was a liberal Democrat and I sat on that committee because I had so many correctional institutes in my district and I needed to be on that committee. Jeff Padden, even though on most issues we would disagree, he was a very conscientious chairman, he did his job and made sure everybody on the committee had their say and then tried to understand what everybody was trying to saying. It was amazing how well that committee worked together. So I guess I would say in that respect, make sure that you listen because there is much to be learned from people on the other side. The last six years have been really fun. As you know I have been dealing with the gun issue. Several people I wish to commend on that, Representative Wetters has done yeoman's work as Representative Curtis and Representative Owen on the other side. Representative McNutt on this side has done a tremendous job as has Representative Lowe, and several others. Then I'd like to thank Representative Frank Fitzgerald who has been a very worthy opponent on that issue. Now that we are leaving hopefully they will get a concealed carriage legislation through in the next Legislation. I feel more confident with both of us leaving that that will happen. I just want to say thank you. Working in the Legislature has been more than an opportunity to me, it has been a real thrill. I have enjoyed almost every minute of this. My fiancée, we were engaged before I came into the Legislature, gave me a verse that I hung on my wall and I think is very appropriate now. The apostle Paul gave to his young protégé, Timothy, he told him, 'Don't be afraid. God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.' Those new legislators that are coming in and Representative Perricone and Representative Hanley, just do what's right, and always do what's right, and trust that God is going to be there with you. So with that, it's been great knowing you guys and now it's time to get on with the rest of our lives."

______

The Speaker resumed the Chair.

Rep. Gernaat:

"Mr. Speaker and members, I would like to thank the people of the 102nd District, formerly the 18th District. It was really an honor to serve you. I feel I served one of the greatest districts in the state. I would like to thank my colleagues, and if we think back to July 17, 1991, Representative Ouwinga passed away. On December 3, 1991, I was sworn in, that was the day we voted on the telecommunications bill. Some of you talk about years or terms, I served seven years and 28 days and it was really great. I would like to thank my staff, I could not have done it without you. Please forgive me for the times that I have talked faster then you could write things down. I would like to thank my family, my wife Karen, her and I will soon celebrate 38 years of marriage, she's put up with a lot. My family, Brad and Lori, Ken and Phil, Randy, Greg, my six grandkids, I hope to spend more time with them. My prayer for you, that God may bless you along life's way and if life deals you a lemon, make lemonade. Thank you."

Rep. Gubow:

"Thank you Mr. Speaker and members. I rise really to just say thank you. Thank you to the people of my district for allowing me the opportunity to come here and be their voice in Lansing. Thank you to my staff over the years. Joanne Grow was my very first staff person, my only staff person when I started, she was here when I began and she's here up in the gallery today. I thank her, I thank the rest of my staff, Sandy Shapiro, Leslye Firestone, Kathleen Williams, Jackie Todd, Karen Parry, and my current staff, Marie Howe and Sharon Bianchi for all their loyalty, their support and their help. I thank my family, my mom who pushed me all the way. My wife, Dottie, and our two children, Jackie and Rachel, for allowing me to do the thing that I love, and that's to be here. I also thank both the House Democratic staff, the Republican staff, who have helped, the Clerk's office, the service bureau, all those folks who helped me write all those amendments, and the press for not misquoting me very often, and so just a really big thank you to everyone. To colleagues in this term as well as in prior terms for all of the efforts that we had together, and finally, let me just say that really when history judges all of our service to the State of Michigan hopefully history will show that we had the courage to stand up and be counted even when it was for an unpopular cause. That we had the courage to resist public pressure and private greed. That we had the integrity to never run away from our principles and that we were dedicated and devoted solely to serving the public good. I frequently said that the House is not a home, but it really has become a home over the years and it was a good ride and I'm glad I took it. Thank you."

Rep. Dalman:

"Mr. Speaker, friends, and colleagues, today is a bittersweet day for me. Visions of eight years of thrills keep flashing before me. Such thrills as the locking up of the House at midnight when my plane leaves early the next morning for a family vacation, or the intimidating demonstrations on the Capitol steps barring my way into session, or the motorcycle warriors dressed in leather packed into my small office demanding freedom without helmets.

None of these things really threatened me, but the amazing part was that the Legislature went on, doing its duty, representing the people, big or little, rich or poor, black or white, sick or healthy, citizen or non-citizen, in this Great State of Michigan. I felt honored when I was elected eight years ago to serve the 55th District, now the 90th District. And I feel honored today as I am ready to leave this August body. To paraphrase President Gerald Ford, 'To me being a state representative was not a prize to be won, but a duty to be done.'

I am a Michigan native and have lived here all my life. I grew up in Detroit, went to public schools and public colleges and then moved to the western side of the state after college. I love this state and would defend it to the end of the world if I had to. Looking back on my legislative contribution, I regret the things I didn't accomplish more than the votes I shouldn't have cast.

I shall miss this place, but the future beckons and I look forward to it with anticipation and excitement. And with a parting word of advice for the incoming Speaker, remember the words of former British Prime Minister Lady Margaret Thatcher, 'In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman.'

This has been a very difficult speech to give, as life is a series of hellos and goodbyes. Thank you for listening to these words from my heart. Thanks to Jennifer Spike for being with me for eight years, and to my colleagues who have elected me the Republican Whip, I enjoyed that job, and the Associate Speaker Pro Tem. Thank you very much for your faith and trust. Goodbye and God Bless!"

Rep. Palamara:

"Thank you Madam Speaker and members. I too would like to thank all of the great people that I have had the good fortune to work with over these last 14 years. The terminology that they call today's session, sine die, is truly appropriate for me because I feel as though a large part of me is dying today, more than I care to admit. I flash back over the past fourteen years and all of the wonderful people that have passed through this House. People like the President of the United States, Muhammad Ali, Miss America, and the living members of the Detroit Tigers who are in baseballs Hall of Fame. All people that I would have never had the opportunity to meet, all people who are legends. When I sat down to write my parting remarks I could never complete them because whenever I would start a story about Representative Profit, or Jacobetti, or Porreca, I would always come up with a better one that I couldn't tell, and I figured why bother telling a story that wasn't the absolute best that could be told about these people. Everybody has had their day here and I will have my memories of all of you, of Representative Gagliardi for the remarks you made at Morris Hood's funeral, I'll never forget those. Curtis Hertel, for the remarks you had at the legacy dinner, and for the way that you've conducted yourself in that Speaker's chair, with your family, you are a marvelous person, and I will always cherish your friendship. Representative Profit, what a great legislator you are. It is no coincidence that you have sponsored more pieces of legislation into law than anybody in the history of this House. To Phyllis Wachter who is up in the gallery with her daughter, thank you for twelve wonderful years of service. I know that today is almost as hard on you as it is for me, but I'm reminded of a lesson that we all learned back in kindergarten, and that is that we have to share, everybody has to take turns. Now it's going to be somebody else's turn. That is probably only right as much as I don't want to leave here, it's somebody else's turn. Thank you very much for giving me my turn."

Rep. Gustafson:

"Thank you Madam Speaker and members. It is with great humility that I speak to you today. I am aware of the great honor bestowed upon us as elected members of this distinguished body, Michigan House of Representatives--Michigan's people's house. It's a pleasure to serve with such honorable men and women, citizens who sacrificed time away from home and family to promote the better good of our state, the great State of Michigan. We are all patriots here. We have a shared belief in government, in our people, and in their faith and their enterprise. How can we not help but to be humble? I have a special honor serving as the Republican floor leader, elected by my colleagues to uphold the rules of the House and to promote our common goals in our caucus. Thank you for that honor, it has been a privilege to serve. It's been a great opportunity for me to meet so many special people in so many special ways and I thank you for that opportunity. I did find it a bit ironic though that given our personality traits that it was Representative Gagliardi who represented Paradise and I that represented Hell. By the way, I would like to point out that Hell is frozen over today. I know that not because I was there this morning, but because for the first time in two years as the minority floor leader Mary Kay gave me a gavel to use today. Thank you, also, to the special staff who work so hard to make us look so good, or was it work hard to make us look good, they know who they are, thank you. Thank you to the families who sacrifice so much because they believe in us and they believe in what we do. The time away from home--It's not so hard for me being just a few miles up the road--but I have to imagine those families who travel great distances and put up with time away, thank you to them for the work they do and their belief in us, and their belief in the great State of Michigan as well. I am confident that this institution is going to be left in good hands. I've met most of the incoming members, both Republican and Democrats. They are also honorable people who believe in state government and believe in this House. Although term limits will affect us each differently, the government will be well served because they are people who will always believe in the history of this institution and in the value of this government. So farewell, if we meet again we can rejoice in our friendships, if we do not meet again, we can rejoice in our memories and in the fact that this farewell was well made."

Rep. Olshove:

"Here I am hogging the microphone again. I would like to just reflect back to probably my little footnote in history. Back in 1992, those of you that were here may remember that it was in the late morning, I think of election night--Wednesday morning that we all found out that I had lost the election and were turning the reigns of power over to the other side. And in a quirky little point in history, a couple days later, found out it wasn't the case. And we ended up in a tie as you all recall. And I guess in a strange way I was instrumental in forging through an election bipartisan cooperation for a couple of years. And it was probably the time that I best remember, here in the House. It was the time that we worked together.

In leaving I would like to reflect back to that for all of you who will still be here. Try to work together, keep that bipartisan spirit on important issues together as long as you can. And I wish you all the very best in the House.

I would like to obviously thank my family, my staff, and particularly Curtis Hertel. Thank you."

Rep. LeTarte:

"I will start by thanking Sue Kellogg, my aide that's been with me since I've been here and of course my wife, Cathy, who has put up with all of my movements around in my different careers. I thought I would start by remembering a few things. When I first arrived, for those of you who don't remember, I was in a special election that basically was for whether or not we could maintain the split House. And I remember that when I first arrived in the House and I was brought up to the podium to be sworn in, at the end there was a wild applause and standing ovation and I looked out and exactly fifty percent were doing that. I went to my desk and it was the seat next to Mike Nye. The first bills we looked at were some capitol outlay bills for community colleges and I was feeling very comfortable about that. The next bill was an abortion bill. I remember they brought around this huge packet of amendments, there were sixty of them. I leaned over to Mike and I said, 'Mike, what are we going to do with these?' He said, 'we will discuss each of them in great detail'. And we did, and within a few hours of that, Jerry Vorva stood up and said, 'anyone who votes for this will meet me out on the front lawn, because somehow you are defaming my wife'. I thought at the time that this was a very strange place to which I had arrived. Within a week we eliminated property taxes and I remember when I came here and the discussion was starting around that the Governor was going to propose a twenty percent reduction in property taxes. I went back and said to my wife, 'you know, coming out of education I can't support this, I am going to come in there as a Republican and the very first act I'm going to do on an important issue is vote against the Governor'. You can imagine her surprise when I called a week later and said, 'honey you won't believe this, I just voted to eliminate it all'. I would like to share several perceptions with you. When I came here, one of the things I really wanted to do was to understand how our democracy really works. I've come to a couple of conclusions, one of them is in spite of all the public opinion about us, the democratic process is alive and well. What I've observed here is that poor legislation, because we have different houses, different parties, different governmental bodies, poor legislation either basically gets stopped or gets fixed. Good legislation by and large, if it doesn't get passed the first time it hangs around and sooner or later it gets passed. In that sense I am comforted by the fact that while we are a very inefficient form of government, if we were efficient we wouldn't be nearly as good. We wouldn't have the processes that allow bad legislation to work its way out and good legislation to ultimately work its way in. I've also come to greatly appreciate, that again in spite of public opinion, that the people in this House are by and large a people of integrity, people of honesty, people who truly care about what their society is and does. While we battle and disagree about what that should be, the reality is we are people who really care about what we are talking about and trying to accomplish. I leave with great appreciation of that. Most importantly, and I thinks its true as you look back on any experience, I'm thankful for the individual friendships that I've developed in the House, on both sides of the aisle over time. Because if you look back at the time you had, the good memories are always tied to good friends and you remember people and activities together. So I'm very grateful for the friends that I have developed here and that I'm sure will endure over time. One last word of advice for those that are remaining, 'treasure the moment, it will be gone soon'. Thank you."

Rep. Profit:

We have not inherited this land from our ancestors;

we have only borrowed it from the next generation

--old Native American proverb.

"On the occasion of my retirement from the Michigan House of Representatives, allow me to use this opportunity to say a very heartfelt thanks.

Initially, allow me to say thanks to 85,000 wonderful constituents in Ypsilanti and on the east side of Washtenaw County who gave me the opportunity to represent them in the Michigan Legislature and vote on their behalf--one of the most valuable privileges and opportunities that exists in our representative democracy. In thanking the people who elected me, let me also recognize them for their input and support, and for their creativity and enthusiasm that has caused me to develop on their behalf over 600 legislative initiatives--more than 100 of which have been signed into law and many others which caused the government to adjust the way in which it conducted business. Let us remember, that I followed a true legend in Michigan political history--the former Speaker of the House, Gary M. Owen--and the support that was shown to me by the voters on the east side of Washtenaw County is very rare when following a person like Gary who enjoyed incredible success in the sixteen years prior to the decade of my representation.

And in that context let me say a special thanks to former Speaker Owen whose personal and professional advice, counsel and support, was one of the cornerstones of any success that we may have had through the 90's as well.

The decade of the 90's was clearly the decade when taxpayer interests were renewed, revitalized and literally came of age. This was a time when we successfully changed the paradigm on tax policy in Michigan such that the interest in taxpayer protection was finally elevated to a status that could compete with the status traditionally accorded to interest in state revenue protection. Indeed, in the legislative term now concluding, during which I chaired the House Committee on Tax Policy, our theme was to challenge state government to see how fair and competitive its tax policy really could become. To that end, the House Committee on Tax Policy met on 53 occasions during which time we reported more than 160 measures of tax relief, we restored the state's interest in complying with constitutional taxpayer protections commonly known as the 'Headlee Amendments', and we moved this state in a positive direction for taxpayers by identifying and eliminating some of the historic hostility in Michigan tax policy towards individuals, businesses, the environment, religion and historic preservation. For all of this effort on behalf of taxpayers a special thanks is owed to my 16 colleagues who served as members of the House Committee on Tax Policy; to Steve Bieda, Lisa Hansknecht, Jonathan VanderBrug and Arnold Weinfeld of the House Democratic Policy Staff; to Tom Halick, Scott Darragh and Bill Anderson from the House Republican Staff; and most especially to the drafters from the Legislative Service Bureau whose pencils we literally wore out in rewriting Michigan tax policy. These dedicated and tireless drafters included Carol Cousineau, Fred Doherty, Rachel Asbury and Jonathan Bassett.

The staff of the Clerk of the House also deserves special mention. The Clerk herself, Mary Kay Scullion, and her assistant, Gary Randall, together with my Committee Clerk, Mary Dove, and the entire Clerk's staff has responded professionally and personally to the incredible challenges that I have presented to them by the aggressive and enthusiastic legislative style that my constituency has demanded. Thanks for your indulgence, your expertise, your professionalism, and above all your patience.

In legislating across a wide variety of issues, there have certainly been successes that we can measure today, as well as successes which have yet to be achieved. Nothing is more prominent than the successful effort to restructure Michigan's system of public education. In achieving greater financial equity and stability in public education operations, substantial relief was provided as well for Michigan's property owners. Additionally in education, new directions have been taken in such areas as pre-school enhancement, weapon-free schools, and the drive in Michigan to provide every child with a fair chance to learn.

For businesses, these successes include new directions such as the legislative enactment of the opportunity for Limited Liability Companies, relief for small businesses from unfair single business tax applications, and assurances for major manufacturers that exploitation of the state's markets could only be done with Michigan workers and Michigan-based investment.

Restoration of religious freedom and a reflection of Michigan's strong spiritual traditions has begun through legislation initiated to create the Michigan Religious Freedom Restoration Act, together with the enactment of laws that recognize life at its creation is something more than a DNA profile available for entrepreneurial experimentation and exploitation. Additionally, tax code inhibitions against religious free exercise rights has been diminished.

And to be sure there are certain challenges that remain. While we have elevated public education spending to nearly $5,500 per public school child, the spending on prison inmates continues to keep state spending priorities out of balance. Specifically, the decision to spend $30,000 per year, per inmate, while we spend $5,500 per year on a public school child, approximately $4,500 per year on a higher education student, approximately $3,500 per year on a pre-school opportunity, and less than $2,000 per year on a mental health care recipient, does not square with a sound investment strategy for Michigan's future, nor does it square with popular demand for more appropriate state spending priorities. We have seen the Department of Corrections grow since the mid-1980's from 14,000 inmates to over 40,000 inmates today, with only half of those incarcerated serving sentences for violent offenses. We have seen the Department of Corrections' budget grow from 2% of state General Fund spending in the mid-1980's to more than 15% of state General Fund spending today. And this is all at the expense of a more investment-oriented spending plan that Michigan could adopt which could include a greater emphasis on education, environmental protection, mental health care--and, most importantly, the opportunity to leave more dollars where they truly belong, i.e. in the hands of Michigan taxpayers.

Nevertheless, Michigan is certainly better today than when the 90's began. The financial condition of the state is probably as strong as it has ever been. At the same time that we have provided significant relief for taxpayers in Michigan, we have not only controlled overall state spending, but we have also found the political and financial wherewithal to develop a Rainy Day/Budget Stabilization Fund in excess of $1.4 billion; we have reduced unemployment in Michigan to the lowest recorded levels, including an unemployment rate in Washtenaw County of less than 2%; we have an Unemployment Trust Fund that is solvent through the next decade; and we have put the state in a position to reduce the income tax rate to the lowest level that taxpayers have seen since it was originally imposed more than three decades ago--and almost a 50% reduction from where it was in the early 1980's. Our bond rating is as high as it has ever been and our debt per capita continues to be significantly below the norm. We have a robust economy, we pay our bills on time, we have money in the bank, and the financial future for Michigan is indeed very promising.

Special thanks is owed to my assistant, Lynne Turcotte, without whom my participation in our efforts to place Michigan in this position of strength would not have been possible. Lynne Turcotte is a classic American success story. Soon after her arrival in Michigan in 1970 from London, England, Lynne joined the staff of Gary M. Owen, assisted him in becoming Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives and all of the success that he enjoyed in that position; and then worked with me as my team-mate over the last decade to unleash some of the most creative, imaginative and unbridled legislative energy that this state has ever seen. Allow me to say a special thanks not only on behalf of myself but also on behalf of the eastern side of Washtenaw County, and indeed the entire state of Michigan, for the quarter century of service that Lynne Turcotte has given. She is a friend of Michigan and a friend of mine for life. Special thanks to Lynne Turcotte.

In closing, let me say a special thanks to all of my colleagues, both elected and otherwise, who have been friends of mine as well. This legislative experience has been an opportunity for me for significant personal growth. In addition to personal advisers such as former Democratic Speaker Gary M. Owen; former Republican Highway Commission Chair Peter Fletcher; my pastor, the Reverend Larry Woodruff; and my good friend and seatmate, Representative Joseph Palamara from Wyandotte, there are many others who have offered me this opportunity and have been professional advisers and personal friends beyond what I could have ever dreamed. Some of the sound advice from my parents was to choose my friends wisely--I have been served very well by following that piece of parental advice. Indeed, one of my themes in Lansing has been most assuredly 'stay close to Representative Joe Palamara from Wyandotte because good things will certainly happen'.

There is one principal which has served me very well as a guide in my work as a legislator. Roy Wilbanks, my high school wrestling coach, taught me the value of sustained commitment. More recently, this process has reinforced the notion that you have two choices when you have correctly identified and undertaken a public policy initiative: your choices are either to stay the course and win on it, or quit. The implications of this are incredible for it becomes readily apparent that as long as you don't quit on a public policy initiative that makes sense for Michigan, eventually you will win--the only challenge is to sustain the effort.

In all of this I have been fortunate to be a father in a loving and supportive family that includes my wife Sharon from Calumet, Michigan, and our three children--Jennifer, who has just recently completed her Bachelors degree in Math at the University of Michigan; Kristie, who is a senior at the University of Michigan preparing to complete her degree in Philosophy; and Kirk, who is preparing to enter the University of Michigan as a junior in the fall of 1999. A good friend and Judge of Probate in Washtenaw County once offered this as perhaps our primary goal in life: 'above all, be good parents'. My mother and father, Maxine and Lewis Profit, were all of that to me, thus giving me the foundation on which all of this became possible. Sharon and I are extremely proud of our children and waste no opportunity to pursue this fundamental goal as well. My experience in the Legislature has once again shown that there is a truly wonderful personal sense of peace that comes with hard work during the day (and night sometimes!), so long as you can go home to family at the end of it all.

Therefore, as I leave, I am literally filled with gratitude, and to all who have inspired and energized me, and have been my teachers and friends, let me say a sincere and heartfelt thanks. The past has been great, the future holds promise, and the present is certainly the only place to be."

Rep. Middleton:

"Thank you Madam Clerk. First I would like to thank the people of the 46th District that sent me here. My family, my wife, Cathy, and my three children, and my extended family. A family reputation, as one of the other speakers mentioned, meant so much and enabled us to be here and after that we were kind of on our own then we had to prove ourselves. I'd like to thank my staff. I don't know if very many realize but my staff, Ada and Jill are sisters, so I had to put up with family feuds along with the other legislative stuff, but they kept me out of enough trouble that the family feuds were not that much of a problem. It's been a great eight years. As I came here in 1991 as a farmer from Oakland County, which many people thought that there was a mistake in what I was saying, they didn't realize that there was still farming in Oakland County, what a change of careers. Much different, working with people and it was a great learning experience. In fact, when I'm filling out resumes now in search of employment and I go through the education as you list it on your resume, I question should I put eight years in the Michigan House of Representatives as work experience or education? It's truly an education to be here. You learn something new almost every day. Things that you never really intended on learning, but it helps add to you as a person. The first term that I was here I realized that the House works together on more bipartisanship than the outside public looks at. I was not a member of team 14, but I worked very closely with team 14 which, when the Democrats were in control in 1991-1992, team 14 was a bipartisan group that got together to craft the education and property tax reform bills that later became law. Like Representative LeTarte mentioned, if it's good legislation, if it doesn't get passed the first time, it does work its way to the top and finally does get passed. I saw that bipartisan teamwork as we went into shared power. It was a great time to serve. If you were a chair every other month you got a rest period and you got to reorganize and go on from there, but mostly because no piece of legislation could get buried because of politics. Every issue had to stand on its merit, be discussed and either rise or fall from there. These last few months people asked me also 'what will you miss the most?' And it's the people. To be able to work in a chamber where almost everybody is here because they care about other people, is the most tremendous opportunity there will ever be. Thank you."

Rep. Gilmer:

"I rise to say farewell to this institution that, for the past twenty-two years, has been such an important part of my life. It has been the greatest privilege and honor that a person can have, to have been elected eleven times by the voters of my three different House districts.

I will also be ever grateful to the hundreds of colleagues that I have had the privilege of serving with over these many years. They each brought to this democratic process the best interests of their constituents. No matter what I do in the future, I will always have fond memories of the people with whom I was privileged to serve and staff with whom I worked. Certainly, in my mind, one of the greatest shortcomings of voter-approved term limits is the fact that legislators will not be afforded the luxury of time to truly get to know their fellow colleagues.

I leave this institution a better person than when I came. I have been enriched by knowing so many colleagues from all walks of life, political persuasions, and from all parts of the state. In order for me to become a better person, I did not have to do so by making less of someone else. I know that the members of the 90th legislature in the House of Representatives are equal to the task that lies before them. I sincerely hope that they do not have to legislate through an economic recession as I had the misfortune of doing, on two separate occasions. I recognize that the two favorite things for most legislators are to cut taxes and increase spending on necessary programs, but remember that it probably wouldn't have been spent, if it wasn't necessary to someone. In the future, the legislative body's ability to manage their way through a negative economic period is going to depend, almost entirely, on the institution's willingness and ability to maintain the fiscal discipline demanded by the constitution.

Lastly, I thank my family who has made great sacrifices in order for me to have spent a major part of my life working in this wonderful institution. I also want to thank my friends who were so supportive and allowed me to survive many elections, some of which were extremely difficult. I look forward to the future with great anticipation. No matter what I will do, or where I will go, I will always think fondly of this body. It is truly the representative body of the people. I hope to visit often, unless, of course, it is a marathon all-night session."

Rep. McBryde:

"Mr. Speaker and Members, I want to thank my wife, Kim, and my four daughters Sarah, Natalie, Elizabeth and Rebecca who are here with me today. I simply could not have served the people of the 99th district without the constant support of my wife, Kim. I want to now publicly thank her as well as my daughters for putting up with me and my chaotic schedule for the past eight years. Thank you, Kim.

Senator Dianne Byrum just reminded me a few minutes ago that I was here eight years ago, with my oldest daughter Sarah. I was holding her, she was a baby at the time. And my, how things move on and how everyone grows.

I also want to thank the people of the 99th district for supporting me through four elections. Isabella and Clare counties represent the heartland of Michigan, and I have made many, many wonderful friends through out my district. I will truly miss serving them in this capacity.

Mr. Speaker, as I pack up and prepare to move on, I can't help but think of what a different place our state is today compared with the way it was when I began my public service eight years ago. Just the other day I found a box full of some of my 1990 campaign materials that I didn't know I had anymore. I was reminded of my first campaign, campaign literature in which I addressed the need to lower property taxes, lower the single business tax and restructure public school financing. Well, we have clearly done those things and so much more! We have spent many late nights in this Chamber and have had many spirited battles; but we have changed the face of Michigan for the good for generations to come.

I know that I will carry many fond memories of these years along with the great respect I have for so many of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle. The many debates we have had on the pressing issues of our day have helped me to better understand other points of view, even when I have disagreed with them.

I have especially appreciated my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee. I consider it a great honor to have been able to serve with great legislators like Don Gilmer, Tom Mathieu, Shirley Johnson, the legendary Morris Hood, Lynn Owen, and my seat mate and close friend, Glenn Oxender. I have learned so much from each of them, and I, like all of you, will truly miss Morris Hood.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank you for your superb leadership you have provided this House. I have watched Speaker Hertel as he has served as Speaker Pro Tempore, Co-Speaker, Minority Leader and now as Speaker. He has always handled himself with grace and style, and he has truly been fair to all members of this Body.

I want to thank Brian O'Connell, who has served me so well as my legislative aide for the past six years. Brian O'Connell represents all that is best in legislative staff, and he has been a good friend to me. I also want to thank Matt Sweeney for serving me so well as my administrative aide, and I wish him all the best as he prepares to serve as legislative aide for my successor and good friend, Sandy Caul.

I wish to congratulate those members who will be moving on to the Senate, our great leader, Ken Sikkema, Beverly Hammerstrom, Burton Leland, Bob Emerson, and my good friend, Mike Goschka. It is my hope that each of these new Senators will never forget their roots here in the House and that they will focus on 'policy over pork' as we have had that focus here.

Finally, I want to say that it is my belief in the importance of public service that brought me here and my belief in that service is stronger today than it was when I began. I believe public service in our state Legislature to be a high calling and an honorable profession, and I will always be grateful to the opportunity of having served here in the Michigan House of Representatives.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and may God bless all of you my colleagues! Thank you."

Rep. Bobier:

"Twas the last night of session and all through the House

The vote's still untaken. The lights we did douse

In Gilmer's office Patrice and I there

She sleeps on the floor, I nod off in the chair.

When what to my sleep deprived eyes should appear

But three or four lobbyists looking for beer

Their clothes were all rumpled, their hair flattened slick

I knew in a moment their minds were not quick

They stumbled and grumbled and rumbled around

They checked in the frig, No beer could be found.

They looked in the bathroom. The cupboard was bare

There was no wine. They started to swear.

'Let's go down to Griffin's. There'll be something for all.'

And they walked out the door and on down the hall.

Back on the House floor the movement grown slow

We await final passage of bills yet to go

Dereg passed the Senate in late night before

Since stopped in the House the draft was no more

And revenue sharing compromise was a trick

The formula changed by the likes of Rep. Nick

On Voorhees, on Steil, Ciaramitaro and all,

We need this resolved. Don't let this act stall

Meanwhile, across the gaping rotunda

The folks on the outside were beginning to wonder

For the Senate, debating both rumor and fact,

Had yet to vote on the gaming compact

Their lobby was full, GCSI and Karoub

Malik, Celini, and Reverend Rice, too

And in the governor's office, I'm told,

Deals were struck on that night with legislators so bold

As to think that fatigue might break John's strong will

Words of promise were spoken. They remember them still

'Capital outlay is not the bill to amend

Let's draft yet another supplemental and then

We can take all your needs, your projects and stuff

Wrap them all in one bill - there's money enough.

For Mary Lanoye has assured me, it's true,

If not on cash basis, then we'll switch to accrued.'

Capital Outlay unloaded, Supplemental intact

There was still one law we had yet to enact

A retirement bill that closed on that day

The gap between those leaving and those who will stay

For risking, it seems, endless press retribution

We saved the class of '94 from defined contribution

Thus the term ended for one hundred and eight

Too tired to speak. The hour was late

And so we arrive at this day sine die

With one more opportunity to speechify

So let me just say to each and everyone

Season's greetings to all this sure has been fun."

Rep. McManus:

"It has truly been an honor and rewarding experience to have been chosen to represent the people of Leelanau and Grand Traverse Counties, better known as the 104th State House District.

I wish to thank my family, friends, volunteers, colleagues and staff for an experience of a lifetime.

My husband Keith and daughters Jessica and Mary who have traveled many weekends with me and gone to many dinners and functions. My grandparents, parents, brother, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who became involved in my campaigns. My Grandparents for their unwavering support. My parents who invested so much in supporting my causes, who once allowed their basement to be used as a campaign office, a place for signs to be made, fund raisers to be held, and for volunteers to stay. My brother who was my first campaign manager and strong supporter. My aunts and uncles who have hosted fund raisers, stuffed envelopes, put up signs, drove me to functions and have been a strong support system. All my cousins who networked for the support of my candidacy among their friends and co-workers. Thanks to the many friends and volunteers who helped me over the years. Thanks to my colleagues for working with me and even listening to me when you didn't agree with me. Thanks to the staff who has worked for me directly and indirectly. Their experience and hard work was so valuable.

I would like to say thanks to the citizens who elected me to serve them in the Michigan legislature the last six years. It has been the most exciting and fascinating time of my life thus far. I was elected in 1992 at the age of 25. I was part of shared power in the House of Representatives. I was re-elected in 1994 and served in a Republican majority. I was re-elected in 1996 for a third and final time to the State House of Representatives and in 1998 I ran for U.S. Congress. During those six years, I married my husband, Keith, gained a daughter named Jessica, and had my first born, named Mary, in March of 1998.

During this time we cut taxes 24 times, lowered the property tax burden, lowered the single business tax and provided significant income tax relief for our Michigan residents. We also created more choice for parents in educating their children, gave local school boards more control over their future and provided greater equity in public school funding.

I am proudest of being part of welfare reform and protecting our children. I introduced and passed laws that established a missing children's information clearinghouse, and prohibited smoking in day care centers. I also passed legislation to require children born with alcohol or controlled substance dependencies to be reported to the health department. This past spring I passed legislation to ban human cloning.

In December of 1995 a fire began at a tire retreading company in Grand Traverse County. The fire burned for more than one month and consumed 1,000 fire fighting hours and cost local and county agencies more than $100,000. In response, I introduced a bill that became Public Act 17 of 1997 to regulate scrap tire collection sites and to minimize the threat of fire.

During my last session, I have actively pursued legislation reducing the state income tax and legislation that calls for drug testing of welfare recipients. I believe with persistence and a Republican majority taking control in January, these measures will soon become law.

It has truly been a rewarding experience to have been chosen to represent the people of Leelanau and Grand Traverse Counties. I still believe public service to be a high calling and an honorable profession and my past six years in the legislature certainly won't be an experience I will forget.

I want to challenge the new legislature to continue to keep Michigan on the cutting edge of innovative ideas that will make our state a better place to live and work. First, in the area of welfare we should continue to look for new ways to give citizens a helping hand rather than a hand out. Second, we must continue to attract more businesses to this state and continue to give tax relief to its citizens. Third, I challenge the new legislature to insist on quality education for our children and to support those leaders who will bring about quality educational change. Four, I challenge and encourage the new legislature to keep Michigan financially strong and continue to build on our rainy day fund.

Finally, I believe President Ronald Reagan said it best in his State of the Union address when he remarked, 'The challenge for us in Government is to be worthy of the people to make Government a help, not a hindrance to our people in the challenging days ahead.'

Along with my husband Keith and our daughters Jessica and Mary, we wish to say thank you and extend Holiday greetings to all of you."

Rep. Horton:

"Thank you Mr. Speaker. Thank you for scheduling this unique legislative session so that we may in fact bring closure to our time together as members of this legislative body.

I would also like to thank my loyal staff, Amy Richey and Ronnie Kielen. They have been such an important part of my support team. I also want to thank and recognize Doug Hart, my long-time aide, who will be taking over for me. It is a pleasure to pass the baton on to him.

It has been a distinct honor and privilege to serve in this capacity for the last eight years. I believe the responsibilities of this office provide one of the greatest jobs a citizen of this state can enjoy. While I know that for many of us leaving the legislature is a bittersweet experience, I prefer to dwell on the positive aspects of our time together.

These last eight years have been the most fulfilling years in my life to date. A time not only of building a relationship of trust with my constituents, but also a time of building relationships and friendships with each of you. Friendships which will extend far beyond our time together in this capacity. While many of us may remember our years in high school or college fondly, I think it is fair to say that our time together here has not only been more educational, it has built stronger bonds and greater memories.

Some of those memories will be of great partisan battles. And I cannot deny that I enjoy a good partisan battle as much as any of you. Nevertheless, the most rewarding memories I will retain are of those times when we have rolled up our sleeves, put aside our partisan differences, and worked together for the best interest of our constituents. Certainly for me most of those memories will be of the countless hours spent with members of the Human Services and Children Committee. Regardless of whether the issue was reforming our protective services system to better protect vulnerable children, improving the process of paternity acknowledgment, cracking down on deadbeat parents, reforming our welfare system to require personal accountability and encourage family responsibility, or most recently spending countless hours of work on the Lt. Governor's reform package, I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to work with the members of that committee as we pursued common goals. I have served in various capacities on that committee as Co-chair, Chair, and Minority Vice-chair with Representatives Sharon Gire and Ed LaForge, and I would like to commend them for their commitment and civility. The last eight years have also been rewarding because of the many difficult issues we have tackled together, from tax cuts to school finance reform, from education reform to court restructuring. I believe we can collectively say that we have left the State of Michigan a better place to live. Yet for all our feeble attempts at lawmaking, it has also been comforting to know that the future of our state lies not so much with this legislative body as it does with the strength of our families and our communities. And at this point I must acknowledge and show appreciation for the support of my five, Fay, and my five children. When I first ran for office we had two children. Now we have five, and the last three were born during election cycles. Maybe there are benefits to term limits. It is also comforting to know that for all our attempts to craft better laws and policies for society, a more perfect standard exists. For all of the discussion these days about the rule of law, a higher law still governs our conduct. Often as we have debated and amended laws I have been reminded of the words of King David in Psalm 19:8-11:

The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart.

The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever.

The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.

They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold;

They are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.

By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

Now as we prepare to leave the legislature, I am also reminded of the last verse of this chapter for not only has it served as a goal for the last eight years it is a fitting goal for the future:

'May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.'

Thank you for all the memories. God bless you, and I wish for all of you a blessed and Merry Christmas."

Rep. Nye:

"Now that we have recessed I feel safe. I would like to thank people from my office--Connie, Amanda, especially those who have worked on judicial issues. To bat, who we all know as Bruce Timmons, but I've called 'Bat' for years, as I served with him I would also like to thank the press for all their misquotes. Because every time they did that it increased my vote margin by 3 or 4 percent. And I wish all of you luck as you leave here as representatives or commissioners, some of you are going to be commissioners, I am sure. And to the new T.V. show of 'Bobier & Fieger'. Now you know what he's doing, sorry I let it out. It has been a pleasure.

To those caucuses that I have been a part of through the years. Special ones--The Aviation Caucus, the Farm Caucus, and the famous NOW caucus of Nye, O'Connor and Walberg. Only those who have been here 16 years or longer probably remember that great caucus. The short word for NOW is NO. In fact, one vote here I will remember when Dave Evans was Clerk and he stood up and recounted the vote. It was 107 'Yes' votes and 3 'Nye' votes and then he had to correct it.

For 16 years I have kind of been a little bit of doing legal work on the House floor. I know Bill Keith used to come over all the time and get legal advise and I closed a couple of real estate transactions and other things. Just to let you know as I continue, I will be continuing that law practice. But since I've served here I will be glad to give all of you a discount of 150% off my normal rate. So call me up anytime, I do need the work as I go on. But I also would like to thank you for my pension so I won't be too difficult as I go on in the years. I've been here long enough and I'm old enough, so I can collect that. As I also leave I'm not sure there will be anybody that will continue this tradition for 16 years I've also worn cowboy boots on this floor. I've always figured you needed it and so I've continued to wear those and I will continue to never polish them as I have for 16 years. But in a serious note it has been a great pleasure to serve this Body, to work with individuals. I remember when I first started and people used to come and say 'Well, you know we come to Judiciary Committee kind of just to watch you and Perry Bullard, to see the difference in philosophies'. And even though Perry and I would argue in those committees on some very hot issues. Perry and I became very good friends through that whole process. And I think as we work through many issues, I remember Glenn Oxender and myself when we sat down in a restaurant in Coldwater and we wrote the first Proposal A. Now that restaurant is bankrupt. A scary thought isn't it?

As I think of starting sentencing guidelines with Nick and Mary Kay and we always measured how long it took us to determine how to get sentencing guidelines through with the age of Mary Kay's daughter. She was born when we started the process and it took many years to get that. But these friendships that we've had will continue. I remember working with Chairman Mathieu as co-chair of the Judiciary Committee. A unique opportunity and a unique experience with regard to working with Tom as the co-chair of that committee. But I will remember each and every one of you as we work through issues. Yes, it's been heated. Sometimes we've been mad at each other, but I think we all go away with the respect of each other as we leave this institution.

And may God help those who come after us. Thank you."

Rep. Lowe:

"Thank you Madam Clerk. I came here today not knowing whether I was going to say anything or not, but I thought of my daughter's remark last night when I was talking about what we were doing today. She said, "Oh, Dad's not going to say anything, he never talks on the House floor". But I sat here, I looked around, I saw the number of members here and I realized that if I spoke today I'd have more people listening to me than at anytime during the last six years. So I appreciate the opportunity to prove my daughter wrong.

I am grateful to be able to have lived the American dream. You, my colleagues, know little of my background. My family is not wealthy. In fact, I'm sure that until I graduated from college and got a job of my own we lived under the poverty level all of those years. That's partly due to the fact that neither my father or my mother graduated from high school. The time that they lived, and their family situation, both of them had to go to work before they got their diploma. We never moved in the circles that included the wealthy or the influential. I was never active in politics. There's probably no other country in the world where someone like that could be elected to a legislative body. I appreciate that opportunity.

I also wanted to take some time today to say 'thank you'. Thank you to all of you, members of the House, the staff, all of you who have been around here for the six years that I have. You all brought something different, something distinct, to this organization. You've made this place unique. I don't want you to think that it has anything to do with reality here. But you have made this place unique. And I will not forget you. So many have said before me, 'we are not going to forget each other'. Thank you too--to my staff, to Sharon and Scott, and the others that have served in my office. We may well win that first election but we know also that it's because of them that we are re-elected. Thank you to the people of the 105th district. Seven counties in northern Michigan that were willing to take the chance on an unknown. Thank you to my mother who prays for me still everyday. To my children, Philip, Krista, Ben, Nathan and Lucas. They gave up their dad for six years and as I look at that sometimes I still wonder whether or not that was a good sacrifice. Thank you to Mary Ruth, my wife. I don't think it's anyone but our husbands and wives that realize what they have to go through. It's interrupted dinners in restaurants, Christmas shopping in the mall when I spend 15 minutes talking to a constituent. But thank you Mary Ruth for what you've done. And I want to say too--Thank you to my God for two reasons. For one, it's only because of Him that I am able to be here today. And secondly, for this season when we celebrate not just the birth of a baby, but the coming of a Savior. And to you returning members and the new members, my charge to you is to make sure you keep this dream alive for all the children in the state of Michigan. Merry Christmas."

Rep. Bodem:

"Thank you madam speaker!

I was elected to the legislature eight years ago. These eight years have been challenging but very fulfilling in serving the 106th District. I have followed in the footsteps of former legislators such as John Pridnia, Steve Andrews, Dan Stevens and Joe Swallow. Some of you may remember them.

I've been looking back and trying to remember the first time I met many of you. The only one that sticks out in my mind is Representative Pat Gagliardi. I met Representative Gagliardi on the Chief Wawatum in Mackinaw City a few years before I came to Lansing.

I've enjoyed serving with all of you and will treasure many good friendships. Thank you for allowing me to seek your advice on issues.

I want to take this opportunity to thank my staff - Kerry, Katie and Tim for their support and great work. I want to thank my husband Dennis, Daughters, Heather and Dawn, and my son Brent for the support and assistance during my eight years. To my constituents - Thank You!

I wish the returning body well in addressing the issues in the new session.

Thank you."

Rep. Kaza:

"Madame Speaker and members of the House:

It has been a great honor to serve in this house of the people--the Michigan House of Representatives.

I consider myself a very fortunate and lucky individual for several reasons. First, I have had the opportunity to serve here as a state representative for six years representing the people of Troy and Rochester Hills. Second, as a young person, one of the youngest serving in this House, it has meant a lot to me, personally, that so many of my elders placed their trust in me during my tenure. The majority of the constituents that I have represented are senior citizens. The fact that they placed their trust in a young person to represent them, through six elections, is a testament to America's greatness: young and old, black and white, female and male.

Our system of government in America allows us to work out our differences--peacefully, through the ballot box--no matter how different we are.

You could double, even triple the problems of America, former President Ronald Reagan used to say, and America would still be the greatest place, with the greatest people, on the face of the earth.

And that is the final reason that I consider myself so fortunate and lucky to stand here today.

We live in a constitutional Republic.

A constitutional Republic with a constitution--the U.S. Constitution, and from that Constitution comes the rule of law. The rule of law means that no matter how powerful you are as a person you are equal with every other citizen before the law.

Even if you are the most powerful person in the land, especially if you are the most powerful person in the land, you are still accountable and subject to the rule of law.

That is the greatness of a constitutional Republic: indeed, its superiority over popular democracy. All power originates with the people in a constitutional Republic yet even the most powerful people are subject to the rule of law.

You can travel all over the world, and those of us whose ancestors fled from authoritarian or totalitarian systems understand this best: the constitutional Republic, of all forms of government, is the greatest because it safeguards liberty.

Liberty is the greatest political ideal.

You cannot have political freedom without economic freedom. I took special pleasure in watching the Soviet System--that rotten, corrupt oppressor of my people--collapse of its own weight--when so many intellectuals in the West were cheering that system on.

Nor can you have political freedom without a U.S. Constitution and the rule of law.

All power originates with the people in our system. Even though nine of my bills became public acts during these past six years none of them mean as much to me personally as two changes to our state government originating with thepeople.

The two most significant changes to our state of Michigan in the last quarter century were the Headlee Amendment and term limits.

The Headlee Amendment to our constitution, approved by the people in 1978, was a powerful confirmation of the anti-tax movement's power in Metro Detroit. The Headlee Amendment changed our state's history--limiting taxes and paving the way for an anti-tax movement that recalled two state senators who ignored the will of the people.

The recall of those two state senators by the anti-tax movement, and the resignation of a third, led to a Republican majority in the state Senate and, seven years later, the election of a new Republican governor for our State.

I have had my differences, honest disagreements, with Gov. John Engler, from time to time. Haven't we all? But I believe when future historians look back on Michigan and study its history they will say that John Engler was the most important governor in the post-World War II era of the 20th century.

It is dangerous and unwise to ignore the will of the people in a constitutional Republic. That is the implicit message of term limits. I remember those early organizational meetings for term limits in 1991 in Metro Detroit. Some of the citizens at those meetings held out hope that the legislature in Lansing--recognizing the will of the people --would reform itself.

The two state legislators who were closest to me in political philosophy--state Rep. Margaret O'Connor from the Ann Arbor area and state Rep. Stephen Dresch from the western Upper Peninsula--both spoke forcefully and with great insistence that the people's will be done.

It would not have been easy for the institution to reform itself. But then this institution has undertaken many important and difficult tasks. In the case of term limits, it was not to be. The people had to bring about the reform and if there is a lesson in this historical episode--a lesson not only for this legislature but for future legislatures--it is do not ignore the will of the people in a constitutional Republic.

You may lose an election when you ignore the will of the people.

But when you take that fateful step, as some occasionally do, to disregard the rule of law you have the potential to lose far more: indeed, your humanity and even your soul.

And in the end that is what it is all about.

Rep. Anthony:

"Thank you Madam Speaker. Uppers always get the last word. First of all, I'd like to introduce two guests I have here today. My brother Mike from California and my fiancee Susie who you've probably all met before. I have two exceptional staff people that I want to recognize. John Calo, who is from the Upper Peninsula and Judy Robel who's a long time serving person in this area. They have made my job possible. And I want to thank them sincerely and mention that they don't call Judy Robel 'Robel Cop' for nothing.

I don't have a lot to say today. It is very simple. The only message that I want to leave here with you today is that politics is an honorable profession. I salute you, my colleagues, for your service to the Michigan people. Much of what I have said today has been said by others so I won't be redundant. I will say 'thank you'. Thank you for your friendship. Thank you for your service to the state of Michigan. And thank you for those restrooms along the U.P. highways. It's been an honor, and it's been a pleasure. Good luck to you all."

Rep. Hammerstrom:

"Many times during the past six years as I sat in this beautiful chamber, I marveled at how fortunate I was to have the experience of serving in this esteemed body and working with the dedicated men and women in this room today. The public truly does not realize the dedication--the willingness to come here and serve the people of this great state, hoping to make the lives better for its citizens. And, to a person, every man and woman with whom I have served has sought that goal.

Six years have gone quickly, but what experiences we have shared over those years: shared power and co-speakers, school finance reform with its infamous Christmas marathon session, calls of the House, lively debates on abortion with unforgettable comments from Representatives Maxine Berman and Jerry Vorva, visits by the President of the United States and the Detroit Red Wings, debate on revisions to the Mental Health Code with a record number of amendments offered, boards kept open as arms were twisted and compromises sought, Representative Bill Bobier's timely return from vacation to cast a deciding vote, Euchre games in the back room as we waited for bills to be printed, pizzas and sandwiches wrapped in white paper during long sessions, and wonderful senses of humor. As we look back, we must also remember those we lost too early: Joe Young, Sr., Dominic Jacobetti, Bob DeMars and Morris Hood. For each of us, out tenure in this chamber included hard work, great friendships and a lot of fun, and through it all, we did accomplish great things for the people in this state.

But all good things must come to an end. Back in 1829, Andrew Jackson stated: 'Every man who has been in office a few years believes he has a life estate in it, a vested right. This is not the principle of our government. It is a rotation in office that will perpetuate our liberty.' And so, with the beginning of term limits in this state, we begin that rotation in earnest.

To those leaving, it has been an honor to serve with each of you and I wish you only good things in the days ahead. To those remaining, you have the awesome responsibility of instilling in the incoming members the great respect for this institution and the process that those of us who have gone before you have held so dear. Please do not take that responsibility lightly for history will judge how well you do.

And in closing, I have just one question to ask: with Representative Griffin leaving, who, Mr. Speaker, will call the question?"

Rep. Alley:

"This last day of session for me is like the first day. I am humbled and in awe of this Legislative body. Also, I give thanks to the citizens of my district. Without them I could never have achieved my 20 years here in the Michigan House of Representatives. Today I know I'm a better person for having served here. I thank God and my family for helping me make it through the most difficult times."

Rep. Rhead:

"I would like to thank each and everyone here, my constituents, my staff, Penny and Cheryl, and my family for making the past six years of my life not only the most interesting but also the most enjoyable."

Rep. Whyman:

"Thank you Mr. Speaker. It is with great pride and some sadness that I address this body today. As a member of the first class of legislators effected by term limits, I must now leave the Michigan House of Representatives. I leave not only an esteemed institution, I leave many friends that it has been my honor and privilege to serve with. We may not have always agreed on the issues, but we could disagree without being disagreeable.

As I leave, I implore the next legislature to take up the battle that tears apart the citizens of this great state. I urge the incoming legislators to end the hateful practice of race based public policy. Today in Michigan, we are confronted by an inequity of opportunity. Today, being born with a certain skin color promotes opportunity without achievement. Being born with another skin color ignores achievement and often denies opportunity. If the former class were white and the latter black, there would be screams of righteous indignation emanating from this chamber, indeed nationally. Yet, this race based public policy discriminates against whites in favor of blacks, and we have remained silent. My greatest disappointment during my past six years of service will always be our turning a collective blind eye to rampant discrimination in the form of minority preferences. I hope those who pick up our torch will have the moral courage to confront the major civil rights struggle of the next century.

It is said that 'old soldiers never die, they just fade away'. While I fade from the House of Representatives, I take pride in my accomplishments, cherish my friendships, and look forward to new challenges in my life. I thank the voters of the twenty first House district for electing me three times to serve their interests here in Lansing. God bless them, along with the many supporters and friends I have made along the way. God bless my family for standing by my side during every election and the times in between. God bless and keep my mother, Margaret Whyman, who passed on this year and served as my model of stubborn determination. And I wish you all good luck and God's speed in all your future endeavors. Thank you and God bless you."

Rep. Bankes:

"Being elected to the Michigan Legislature to do the people's work is an awesome responsibility and one that no lawmaker should take for granted.

Every time I drove to the Capitol, even today, I thought what a wonderful opportunity it has been to serve in this august body. We have the chance to do a great deal of good for the people of this state.

I have been particularly blessed to serve in one of the most interesting decades in Michigan history. In 1987, we observed the Michigan Sesquicentennial, celebrating Michigan's 150 years of statehood. Then in 1988, the Senate Majority Leader, John Engler, made a commitment to begin restoration of the Capitol building. Speakers Gary Owen and Lewis Dodak shared in this dream. While the Capitol was being restored, the Michigan Legislature held session in the Roosevelt Building in a very small area that barely allowed for public oversight. Restoration continued until 1992 when we had the rededication of this beautiful building. It was worth the cost. The Capitol is a magnificent monument to the people of Michigan.

In 1990, a Republican reclaimed the governor's office and John Engler began massive changes in state government. Most of it was for the good. The most difficult vote I cast in the 14 years I served in the Legislature was cutting off general assistance grants to some of our poorest people.

Welfare reform has been a huge success. The reorganization of the Department of Community Health is the envy of health professionals nationwide. Our education funding reform set a national example. It proves that something can truly be done if the Legislature really has a commitment. Even the creation of the Jobs Commission has been successful despite my earlier doubts. Twenty-four tax cuts, business reforms, lowest unemployment in decades, and a Rainy Day Fund that is the envy of most states makes us all proud to be a part of that success.

I have served in the minority, co-majority, and in the majority. I have to concur with most of my colleagues that co-majority was the best. Being in the majority was not too bad either.

Serving in the Michigan Legislature is truly a privilege. I am grateful to the people of Livonia and Redford Township for allowing me to represent them for such a long time. The people of the 19th District have been very kind and generous to me and my family.

I'm also grateful to the people and staff that I have served with in the Legislature. Most have been helpful, trustworthy, and good friends. I have had the very best personal staff. All have worked above and beyond the call of duty especially my current staff, Sandy Nash and Peg Sippola. I want to thank my family for the sacrifices they have made on my behalf. My husband, John, has been extremely supportive.

There really aren't words to describe how much I've cherished this experience. I love helping people and I'm glad that I don't have to stop. I can continue to serve in my new job as a Wayne County Commissioner. Thank You and God Bless!"

By unanimous consent the House returned to the order of

Messages from the Senate

December 22, 1998

The Honorable Curtis Hertel

Speaker of the House of Representatives

State Capitol

Lansing, Michigan 48913

Dear Mr. Speaker:

I herewith return to the House of Representatives the following House Bills, House Joint Resolution, and House Concurrent Resolutions which failed passage or adoption in the Senate: